SOMEWHERE (2010)

Written & Directed By: Sofia Coppola
Cinematography By: Harris Savides
Editor: Sarah Flack

Cast: Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Chris Pontius, Michelle Monaghan, Elle Kemper, Angela Lindvall, Kristina Shannon, Karissa Shannon

Hollywood actor Johnny Marco, nested in his luxury hotel of choice, is a stimulated man. Drinking, parties and women keep a creeping boredom under wraps in between jobs. He is the occasional father of a bright girl, Cleo, who may be spoiled but doesn't act it. When Cleo's mother drops her off and leaves town, Johnny brings her along for the ride, but can he fit an 11-year-old girl into his privileged lifestyle?


Let me first say i looked forward to seeing this film for awhile. The only reason i choose not to see it in theaters was that it was getting mixed reviews and at the time money was tight to take a gamble no matter how much i like a filmmaker. Let me just say i am glad i didn't gamble and go see it, Though i may have enjoyed it a bit better if i had.

I Just Finished watching this film, I have been eagerly awaiting watching this film. I usually love Sofia Coppola. Recently i am finding her a bit frustrating. She has an eye and a voice for film though these days i think she tends to get lost in her own ideas.

I only gave it three stars as a gift because i respect sofia coppola so much. this film was minimalism to the nth degree. i would have liked it if we even got a sense of character out of the leads. it felt more like sketches of characters as we watch his mundane day to day life. with none of the excitement left in. it was small scale instead of grand showing none of the the highs and lows, mostly lows.

The film is about a Movie star who is doing some advertisement for his new film while taking care of his estranged daughter while the mother is away. The film tracks his day to day life and his mini adventures with his daughter.

After Awhile it became tedious.There was nothing nor anyone for me to really care about, itwould havebeen a nice touch tohave seen him working or some of his actual work in films. Going to premieres the endless interviews, The fake friends, the fans. Maybe even getting a glimpse into his home life with his baby's momma. there is just one scene to show how it really affects his daughter. Though i did get to watchteh playboy twins to a clothed striptease with not great choregraphy. it doesn't help all he seems to do is look tired, go to sleep surrounded by women heis clarly bored with and have sex a lot which is tastefully usually obscured. Which leaves us in the audience feeling as bored as he is. I understand film is supposed to entertain and at times make us think. I assume the point here was for the audience to experience everything happening. Which can be great if used right. This is experimental, yet it made me want to walk away from the experience early. Maybe it is a personal film to Sofia and no one else. That might be why i don't get it.

I just wasn't digging the film.

Maybe i would have enjoyed it more on the big screen. Watching it on dvd it left a lot to be desired and was rather disappointing. Greatly shot though. Seeing it on the big screen would have maybe brought some insight and made me feel apart of the world they are in. As it plays now i'm supposed to be a fly on the wall but i have no choice or chance to fly away. Nice to see Stephen Dorff still in the game, Still looks basically the same.

It felt like there was little effort put into it. I know after MARIE ANTOINETTE Ms. Coopola wanted to make a film that was more simple. She truly did. I felt that she Just picked the hotel for it's celebrity. the only thing i really enjoyed was the cameo and the cinematography. I believe it was Dorff's own wardrobe of nothing but flannel. She did write the role for him. Meanwhile it comes as no surprise that many of the few conversations in the film were improvised. It might have made the film more impressive if it was basically a silent movie. Where the story is told only visually with some minimum dialogue.

I wonder if the film was a little auto-biographical. Based in part of her experiences with having the world famous director Francis Ford Coppola as her father. i understand the shallow and hollow points she may have been making but there has to also be some interest too. if she wanted to make something simple. She should have taken a break. if you can't be there fully to serve the story. the film could have still been simple with some creative effort to show for it. Hell even show the two faces of fame the public personea and the private one. i guess i just think of how great the film could have been then the end result. Almost like the Incredible hulk films.

if you watch the trailer it prepares you for what you are going to see, but it makes it look a little more exciting. i knew it was going to be slow. Little did i know the trailer was Like a best of reel.

She even usually has good soundtracks, The Soundtrack here is good but sparse as apart of the minimalism there is barely a score and the few songs you hear are more overheard from a televison or a radio. Which is inventive. She also used the Same lenses that her father used when making RUMBLE FISH. Maybe history will prove me wrong and like that film, this will become a underrated classic. i doubt it but who knows.

Strangely this film reminds me of a Vincent Gallo film Without the passion, Narcassism or clear direction of his films.

It's worth watching, maybe you will get something out of it i didn't and can tell me what it all means.

The film feels as a bit of a disappointment. Like a families home video filled with inside jokes and experiences only they know or will get something out of.

GRADE: C+