I know its a very unpopular opinion and his legions of online disciples will probably blast me but its true.
Hes just a complete moron. I cant stand that smug look on his face while he observes minor differences in the Japanese culture, like they are ironic or something.
Saying that, I suppose many uncultured tourists would behave in this manor too
He's not exactly a likeable guy, and he's not really meant to be. I just re-watched it last night, and for most of the movie, he's smug, condescending, sarcastic and dismissive.
Hmmm... I may have to conduct a Bill Murray marathon, but I consider his casting here to be sheer genius, and it resulted in one of his finest roles ever. He is clearly a fish-out-of-water, making the most of his isolation, a viewpoint from which he is perfectly placed to make such smug observations. He is a guest of the Japanese, adored by him, beholden to them (for a paying gig).
What's is he to do?
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...and that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana shaped.
here here - this is murray's finest nuanced work. The original poster really kind of missed the point by hitting it exactly "i suppose that's how some foreigners may behave" yes he was acting !!!! i love this film its top 5 film of all time for me and let me tell you the other 4 change all the time
Awesome character that i don't think you understood ...
He was been in a long time marriage, which seems to have lost passion but yet he remains faithful to her. He is related to doing whiskey commercial in Japan instead of doing more meaningful work in the US to provide for his family, thus sacrificing some integrity in his career perhaps. He is far away from home and his family culture shocked in a foreign land. He is not very inspired working in commercial.
I didn't see any smug look on his face.
also he is Bill Murray so anything he does is awesome ... haha
-It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything-