Somewhere tells the story of Johnny Marco, an A-List actor who has it all. Money, women, peers telling him he is great, big parties the whole Hollywood lifestyle. But behind this amazing world, lays a man who is sad, alone and lives out of a hotel room at the famous Chateau Marmont in Beverly Hills. The only thing that gives him hope and joy is his daughter Cleo (played beautifully by Elle Fanning) whom he get to spend time with on a regular basis, that is until Cleo's mother decides she needs a time-out from her life and leaves Cleo in the hands of Johnny until she decides to return. What we then witness is the bond between father and daughter. The way Hollywood is seen through both an eleven year old girl and her hugely successful father.
Let me start by saying welcome back to fine form Ms Coppola. After the not very successful (and extremely boring) Marie Antoinette, Sophia has found a subject that could easily be anyone of her famous friends and takes the viewer on a ride with them. Also writing the screenplay, this young talented director/writer has used famous landmarks to show the world that many actors may live in. The pacing although slow in some parts, is really what the movie is all about. We may be bored watching Stephen Dorff onscreen while he drives in his Ferrari or while he wades in the luxury pool, but this is how it is meant to feel. The director wants us to feel the boredom of this character as he tries to entertain himself while waiting for his next project. Sophia lets her actors shine in their roles and really should be proud of her movie.
The acting in this movie is the driving force behind the picture. Without the talent and the bond the two main characters have onscreen, this movie would not have worked. The core of the film is a father/daughter story and with the audience not believing this would not be worth continuing. But they do make it work. Stephen and Elle do an amazing job. Stephen (who may not be acting) embodies Johnny and his self-destructive ways, but also shows his caring and nurturing side when playing against his daughter. Elle is not the only famous Fanning who should be receiving praise for her work. This child actor is amazing and brings Cleo, who could have been a spoilt Hollywood brat but doesn't. We get to see her caring side for her father, her patience with him and her disapproving of his lifestyle. These two actors are great. I think we will be seeing more of Ms Elle Fanning real soon. The ending may leave many stumped as it did myself, but I can't stop thinking of it. I won't tell you what happens, but many may interpret it in different ways, which I feel makes a movie a bit more personal for the viewer as it allows them to make up their own mind and what they may have felt the entire way through the film.
This movie may not be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. It is quite a simple story of a man with a privileged lifestyle that only fines joy when he is around his daughter. The directing is done extremely well and the writing (even though many of the scenes sound like they are ad libbed making the movie feel even realer) is well done. The acting is what makes this movie though and the two leads are perfect casting. Lets hope Stephen you don't have to wait another 18 years for a decent script, because dude, you deserve the praise you are receiving for this film.Winner of the 2010 Venice International Film Festival for Best Picture, the movie critics love this film, and so do I. 8/10
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