Elusive, subtle, and atmospheric, "Lost in Translation" was one of the indie hits of 2004, but what was the basis of the film's appeal and how exactly was it marked as distinctly independent? Considering industrial factors, such as strategies in funding and release, to the role of star performance and formal qualities, including the film's low key narrative structure and impressionistic use of visual imagery and sound, this book provides an in-depth analysis of the film's balance of the mainstream from a leading authority on recent and contemporary American independent cinema.