12 Outstanding Films Where Little Takes Place

      Here are 12 remarkable films where not much occurs… or does it?

      There’s a lack of car chases, murders, explicit scenes, and explosions.

      Yet, lives are subtly transformed.

      **Lost in Translation (2003)**

      Focus Features – Credit: C/O

      Newlywed Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) and jaded actor Bob (Bill Murray) cross paths at a Tokyo hotel, engage in conversation, and enjoy some karaoke. The atmosphere is both melancholic and exquisitely beautiful.

      We wonder if they might abandon their partners — and yet feel a sense of relief when they don’t. Sofia Coppola’s *Lost in Translation* celebrates fleeting, intense moments we can never recreate, and perhaps shouldn’t.

      In the end, Bob locates Charlotte in a crowd. They lock eyes, embrace, and he whispers something inaudible. Their kiss feels non-sexual; they share a friendship.

      **The Power of the Dog (2021)**

      Netflix

      Jane Campion’s drama seemed destined for Best Picture at the 2022 Oscars until CODA unexpectedly claimed the title in a peculiar year affected by Covid.

      At first glance, it appears to be a slow, heavy narrative about a widow (Kirsten Dunst), her gentle suitor and later husband (Jesse Plemons), her sensitive, intellectual son (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and her harsh brother-in-law (Benedict Cumberbatch).

      Throughout most of the film, we perceive it as a sensitive Western, possibly addressing the contemporary issue of “toxic masculinity.” However, as it concludes, we recognize it has been a very different type of film all along, more ruthless than initially thought. It makes an audacious shift in genre, earning our respect.

      **Dazed and Confused (1993)**

      Gramercy Pictures – Credit: Gramercy Pictures

      The quintessential hangout film, *Dazed and Confused* traces a group of high school students on graduation night as they drive around and plan a party at the Moontower. There is some fighting, bullying, flirting, and a bit of mailbox damage. Football star Randall “Pink” Floyd (Jason London) faces the dilemma of whether to sign a pledge against drugs.

      And that’s all there is to it. No deaths, no explosions, no grand heists. Yet, it’s an absolute delight, launching the careers of Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, and Matthew McConaughey, and is often regarded as the greatest hangout movie ever. Quentin Tarantino has called it his favorite film of the 90s.

      *Dazed and Confused* is one of several deceptively straightforward films by Richard Linklater, where ordinary days and nights become the most unforgettable moments of our lives.

      And speaking of Tarantino…

      **Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)**

      Sony Pictures Releasing

      A slice-of-life narrative centered around real-life actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), her burnt-out actor neighbor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), and Dalton’s friend-stuntman-assistant Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt).

      This film leisurely explores three days in their lives — including a scene where we accompany Sharon on a solo trip to the cinema — but writer-director Quentin Tarantino knows he doesn’t need much action to propel the plot…

      …Because we remain on edge throughout, anticipating the horrific fate we know awaits the real Sharon Tate. We wait for it to unfold on screen. It’s chilling.

      There are brief outbursts of violence as Cliff faces off against both Bruce Lee (Mike Moh) and Tex Watson (Austin Butler).

      And when the grim conclusion arrives… it’s not at all what we expected.

      **Perfect Days (2023)**

      Koji Yakusho and Arisa Nakano in *Perfect Days*. DCM

      The latest film on our list, *Perfect Days* follows a bathroom custodian in Tokyo, Hirayama (Kōji Yakusho), as he navigates his simple existence, enriched by mix tapes, good books, and a passion for photography.

      It’s a fascinating, engrossing exploration of embracing a seemingly ordinary life. Characters enter his world who seem destined to create significant changes, yet he finds solace in his daily routines.

      Its impressive film credentials include a premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or and won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury along with a Best Actor Award for Yakusho. It was also nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

      **Before Sunset (2004)**

      Warner Independent Pictures

      Another Linklater film, this sequel to *Before Sunrise* could easily fit into this category. Jesse and Céline (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, who co-wrote the screenplay with Linklater and Kim Krizan) reunite in Paris nearly ten years after their night together