Six-plus years ago screenwriter William Goldman (Marathon Man, All The President’s Men, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid), explained what a “drop out ” moment is — i.e., when something happens that just makes you give up interest and faith in a film. He cited a bit in Sofia Coppola‘s Lost in Translation.

He observed that as the film begins, Bill Murray‘s character “has just been in a movie where there is a fabulous vehicle chase, buses destroyed, explosions and, we find out, he did his own driving.” Murray, in short, “is playing a famous action star.

“Look, I started following him over a quarter-century ago, on Saturday Night Live Live and in the movies, from Meatballs on, and maybe in real life he can kick the crap out of Harrison Ford and maybe stripped he has pecs that make Arnold Schwarzenegger look flat-chested — but I do not believe this, not for a New York minute.

“Murray is a comedy star. He’s goofy and he fumbles, and the minute you try and shove this other persona at me, make me think he is the toughest guy on the planet, sorry, I do not go there.

“And I stopped, from this moment on, believing in this flick. And when belief goes, caring is right behind.”

Movies are rife with “no sale” moments these days, but I’m presuming there are standouts among the readership. I’d pop in a few myself but I have to get to the airport.