PRINTMovie review: Somewhere
A thought-provoking relationship keeps mundane plot alive
Courtesy of Focus Features
March 12, 2011 | 11:20 a.m. CST
Amidst the glitz and glam of Hollywood, actors secretly (and sometimes not-so-secretly) struggle with the realities of life that are normally hidden from public view behind the curtain of fame. In Somewhere, these realities for the rich and famous are brought to the forefront as a raw exposé that shows audiences a relationship of unconditional love between father and daughter.
Looking for sex, alcohol and cigarettes to fill the void between Hollywood engagements, famous actor Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff) finds solace in constantly running from anything stable in his life — and a couple strippers. When left with daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) for an indefinite amount of time, Johnny continues his unstable lifestyle with an 11-year-old attachment, which makes him realize that at some point, he has to grow up and be the adult.
With less dialogue and more time for the audience to experience Johnny’s life visually, the film concentrates on chronicling the daily life of a father who hasn’t been around more than necessary for his daughter. It succeeds in a documentary-like style. To capture a man searching for what he really wants out of life, director and writer Sofia Coppola implants audiences in an intrusive manner that best reveals every emotion expressed and truly analyzes the inside life of a Hollywood.
Although slow at times, such as life, Coppola uses Dorff and Fanning as the perfect father-daughter duo. Their witty and thought-provoking relationship keeps audiences from getting bored with their mundane actions.
Somewhere between anywhere and nowhere, Coppola takes audiences to the middle of a man’s rapidly changing life, which is exactly where they need to be.
Vox Rating:
