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8

metamotivcriticFeb 5, 2011

Was surprised that I liked this movie so much. It was wonderfully subtle (at times, to the point of inertness), nuanced, and atmospheric--so unlike the typical Hollywood, overwrought, overly obvious melodrama. (Ironically, the movie capturedWas surprised that I liked this movie so much. It was wonderfully subtle (at times, to the point of inertness), nuanced, and atmospheric--so unlike the typical Hollywood, overwrought, overly obvious melodrama. (Ironically, the movie captured Hollywood and LA better than most Hollywood and LA movies do.) Sometimes movies--or at least foreign movies--are about pictures (even lingering ones), moods, atmospherics rather than overscripted dialogue and plot development. The increasingly tender, albeit awkward father-daughter relationship between Johnny and Cleo, and the emptiness of Hollywood privilege--see Charlie Sheen--though not new, were effectively portrayed. Elle Fanning "natural" performance was lovely, and the poll dances by the two blond bunnies were just bad enough to be a complete trip. (Note: I apologiize that this review doesn't live up to the high standards of professionalism or articulateness of Ghostface's, but at least I don't make any defensive attributions about the state of or head positions of those who disagree with me.)… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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9

TheTroofJun 19, 2011

Simple, but all the more compelling for it. As always, beautifully scored and shot. Sofia captured the mundane aspects of a stars life when the camera is not pointed upon him initially in the film, but developed an enjoyable and rewardingSimple, but all the more compelling for it. As always, beautifully scored and shot. Sofia captured the mundane aspects of a stars life when the camera is not pointed upon him initially in the film, but developed an enjoyable and rewarding narrative of the oft-forgotten moments where an actor, his daughter and Chris Pontius can enjoy some Rock Band and magic markers. Chris Pontius is a revelation.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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8

thiagoovAug 11, 2011

This is Hollywood without glamour. Ferrari lacks charm; Beverly Hills lacks charm; a movie star lacks charm. Sofia Coppola made a film that does not prime for beauty (lacks charm), as Marie Antoinette did, but which is dense in its criticismThis is Hollywood without glamour. Ferrari lacks charm; Beverly Hills lacks charm; a movie star lacks charm. Sofia Coppola made a film that does not prime for beauty (lacks charm), as Marie Antoinette did, but which is dense in its criticism of the contemporary American cinema. The only spasm of enthusiasm comes, momentarily, when the protagonist is in Milan - indeed, there's La Dolce Vita. But in Hollywood one finds nothing except the emptiness of La Vida Loca.… Expand

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7

thiagoa_bhzAug 11, 2011

It's a good movie, despite a bit slow and, thus, boring. It questions the values of American cinema and even draws a comparison to European films. It's full of irony and some sharp criticism. It's not the most enjoyable film around, but it'sIt's a good movie, despite a bit slow and, thus, boring. It questions the values of American cinema and even draws a comparison to European films. It's full of irony and some sharp criticism. It's not the most enjoyable film around, but it's quite pertinent and should incite reflection.… Expand

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8

SyntrixJan 26, 2013

This is a mysterious film that begins with a fast car--somewhere--going nowhere. The slow start slice of life emphasizes the real feeling of the fast life--how it looks to others vs. the reality of its ordinariness and lack of connection.This is a mysterious film that begins with a fast car--somewhere--going nowhere. The slow start slice of life emphasizes the real feeling of the fast life--how it looks to others vs. the reality of its ordinariness and lack of connection. Like life, the movie gives the illusion it may be going somewhere and have a climax or a point of great accomplishment, but like a mirror to life it illustrates that the sense of your going somewhere is always an illusion and that, with nowhere really to go, in the end you have the passing of time and the people you care about and then it's the end. The movie holds a mirror to life and shows it as it is and how it feels for everyone. The point is that this is how it is whether you are famous or not. The fast cars, girls, money, fame, don't change the essential nature of life. The sense of needing and wanting to go somewhere, when really there is just here, and after all the running around, you are still just here. Right here. It's film as Zen. In the beginning of this movie, I thought what? And then I realized that this is what film and art should be--transformational in the sense of breaking the illusion that transformation is the goal or that moving forward is the goal. The purpose of life is to take time to feel it even though you know it doesn't go anywhere. It is enough to be somewhere.… Expand

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10

SirEddieCookFeb 4, 2012

Somewhere is an arthouse film that reminds us of great eras in smaller films, the Italian and French films of the 60s and even quite a few early 90s indie movies. Each shot and scene is put together with exquisite details and nice touches, itSomewhere is an arthouse film that reminds us of great eras in smaller films, the Italian and French films of the 60s and even quite a few early 90s indie movies. Each shot and scene is put together with exquisite details and nice touches, it makes for a movie that can be seen more than once. Stephen Dorff plays an enigmatic, working cool actor shacked up in LA's Chateau Marmont hotel on the Sunset Strip. He bangs models, wannabe actresses and is a bit of a rocking guy. Emotionally empty and isolated, he finds solace in his 11 year old daughter played by a very talented Elle Fanning. The movie produces a great father and daughter relationship, tragic by design and circumstance, a love story that has nowhere to go. I really thought Dorff was an underrated, naturally cool and talented actor before. And Sofia Coppola creates a collage of memorable imagery, unusual sensitivity and an understated depth to Dorff that really shines. I liked this film more than Lost In Translation. The music is great too.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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10

FUNTALKJan 27, 2011

If the following : (1)talking about acting and (2)talking about the logic of plot and setting - are your typical reactions after watching a film , I will bet that this is not the cup of tea for you.

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9

ShiiraFeb 17, 2011

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. "She can't be at the table," warns the croupier, and goes on to inform Johnny Marco(Stephen Dorff) that his daughter needs to "step back", but the officious-sounding admonition which the casino employee delivers is only for appearance's sake, just a pretense of regulations being upheld, since he knows, and the actor knows, the girl too, as well as the complicitous onlookers who surround the big movie star throwing dice, and not minding one bit, that the bet abettor is enforcing a modified version of the house rules. Cleo(Ellie Fanning), who is only eleven-years-old, and by Las Vegas gaming standards, grossly underaged, shouldn't even be allowed to walk the floor, and yet, there she stands, without a shred of guilt or self-consciousness, taking her rightful place among the grown-ups, all because of who her father is: a celebrity, a somebody. To the girls' credit, she takes a step behind the shooter, her father, without protestation, without a break in her grin, because she's nice. This simple act of tactfulness redeems Cleo, even the dad(if you believe the old adage that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree), therefore making his ennui with stardom, and her abandonment issues, problematic situations both that the moviegoer can sympathize with, despite the rarefied air they breathe. Nobody really whines in "Somewhere", so don't hate them simply because of their economic status and skin color. Accused by some quarters of suffusing her frame with subject matter that conveys privilege and entitlement from an apologist's perspective, the filmmaker, undaunted and seemingly impervious to criticism, adheres herself to royalty once again, when she switches the period and venue from eighteenth century Versailles to twenty-first century Hollywood. To paraphrase the Austria-born queen who lost her head, "Let them eat ice cream," because Johnny and his daughter would much rather gorge on gelatto, which they order from room service in a swanky Italian hotel, and not just one type of the sweet frozen dessert, but all four flavors, a display of minor gluttony that faintly recalls the scene in "Marie Antoinette", where the queen and her consorts pig out on an endless assortment of pastries(and shoes). Although it seems innocent enough, Johnny gives his daughter a lesson in decadence; he teaches Cleo how to behave like a queen. As an adult, he needs to placate his appetite for more(fawning women, for starters), by exhibiting some self-control, at least while his daughter is visiting, which seems like an infrequent occurrence, at best. Cleo, so far, so good, shows no outward signs of corruption yet, but that doesn't mean the unformed girl is incorruptible. The longer she remains exposed to her degenerative father's ways(he invites a lady friend into their hotel room), the better the chances of boorish behavior, so maybe next time, should they be in the Nevada desert, maybe Cleo won't be so gracious about stepping back from the craps table. The fact that Marie Antoinette gambles during the film's birthday sequence, turns the Vegas scene into a bridge between the two movies, and sort of intimates that Cleo is halfway there to being a typical child of privilege. (Back at the Chateau Marmont, when she asks the help to carry the pitcher of orange juice into the kitchen, is she exercising her authority as the daughter of a star, or is the container simply too heavy for her?) Set in the United States, the left coast, nevertheless, it's as if "Somewhere" never left France, since the filmmaker employs a European approach to the filmic velocity of its content. The slowed-down approach, is, of course, highly ironic, considering the fast life that a Johnny Marco-like star leads. Like "Marie Antoinette", a film which depicted the monotony of court life all too convincingly, "Somewhere" is also rife with repetition, featuring countless shots of Johnny in some depressive form of solitary repose. In the final scene, Johnny leaves his black Ferrari on the side of the road, and proceeds to travel by foot. The moviegoer sees his feet. Now it's a little bit easier to walk in his shoes; now he's relatable, unlike the French queen, whom the filmmaker supposedly identifies with, according to her critics. These skeptics, however, overlook the fact that a Bow Wow Wow song like "I Want Candy" is proletarian(Jean-Phillipe Rameau's opera "Platee" is bourgeoisie), so in actuality, the new wave classic creates dissonance with the scene of debauchery that accompanies it. The poor allows the rich to appropriate their music as long as they're well-taken care of, but when the queen breaks this pact, they turn up at her balcony to take the Gang of Four back. The filmmaker is like Cleo. She's rich, but not a snob...yet.… Expand

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9

StevenFAug 25, 2013

Stephen Dorff cuts a lonely and passive individual in 'Somewhere', playing an actor called Johnny Marco, a successful man in the business, but ten minutes into the film we realise the recluse and empty life that Johnny leads, pole dance afterStephen Dorff cuts a lonely and passive individual in 'Somewhere', playing an actor called Johnny Marco, a successful man in the business, but ten minutes into the film we realise the recluse and empty life that Johnny leads, pole dance after pole dance, party after party, he never seems to be mentally present in any of these situations to the point where it's noticeable that he finds nothing fulfilling or satisfying, something no amount of money, sex or drugs can fix. The only vice for his seemingly empty life is his eleven year-old daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning), who is in adversary left in the care of her father. Here we see the true talents of writer and director Sofia Coppola in full swing, she creates characters who instantly command your attention and who are full of intrigue, it's easy to get the impression that Cleo is aware of her fathers lifestyle, but loves him all the same, Johnny is a man who doesn't seem ungrateful for his life and success, but one who simply doesn't get the fulfilment that others would in the same field. He stays indefinitely at the popular Chateau Marmont, a place for the Hollywood bigwigs attempting to hideaway from the world.
The intriguing elements of the film come from the character of Johnny, his routine life of answering the phone and doing as his agent tells him, talk to the press, pick up awards and have his face moulded, a scene which truly outlines this mans feelings, he sits in silence while the mould dries and breathes heavily, we don't need to see his face to know what is going on in his head.
The film doesn't necessarily have a beginning, middle and end flow, it's told a sort of day in the life of scenario where we sit back and observe a lifestyle that is endless, but one devoid of anything meaningful, the only vice being blood.
The title pertains to everything that we witness throughout the film, a man in between lifestyles, personalities and mental stability, he isn't anywhere concrete, therefore he is somewhere in between it all.
Sofia Coppola has an intriguing and elegant style of filming, she puts on screen exactly what see wants us to see, and like her other masterful 'Lost In Translation', we have a similar character in Stephen Dorff to to Bill Murray, a man with everything but also cut away from life and letting it all pass him by.
An excellent film that studies the meaning of family, personality, depression but mainly the need of human interaction and meaningful relationships, through the simplest of actions and time spent together.… Expand

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8

SimpleMethodMar 19, 2014

This is a really good, almost fantastic movie. After the first 15 minutes, it really comes into it's own and I loved it. Oddly, director Sofia Coppola chooses to shoot a few early scenes as they would play out in real time. That's notThis is a really good, almost fantastic movie. After the first 15 minutes, it really comes into it's own and I loved it. Oddly, director Sofia Coppola chooses to shoot a few early scenes as they would play out in real time. That's not artistic really, it's just boring. Those scenes mainly fade into more subtle, silent character development as the movie progresses and it's amazing. Stephen Dorff and Elle Fanning were amazing. Overall, a really unique, quiet movie centered around two great performances.… Expand

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8

ahmedaiman1999Mar 13, 2020

Yes, it seems like Coppola retreated the set of themes of celebrity ennui, melancholy, feeling adrift and leading a meaningless senselessly that worked brilliantly in her magnum opus, Lost in Translation. But these themes here take a centreYes, it seems like Coppola retreated the set of themes of celebrity ennui, melancholy, feeling adrift and leading a meaningless senselessly that worked brilliantly in her magnum opus, Lost in Translation. But these themes here take a centre stage and are explored through an irresistible father-daughter relationship in a way only manageable through Sofia's hypnotic lens and extraordinary ear for music. The first act is a bit overlong and repetitive, though.

(8.5/10)… Expand

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7

hamidgoodarziJan 19, 2023

Sofia Coppola's personal cinema, in addition to being valuable and admirable, is also fascinating and endearing. I like his viewpoint on cinema. She is the daughter of the godfather of world cinema, Francis Ford Coppola, but she has not beenSofia Coppola's personal cinema, in addition to being valuable and admirable, is also fascinating and endearing. I like his viewpoint on cinema. She is the daughter of the godfather of world cinema, Francis Ford Coppola, but she has not been under her father's shadow and stands in an area of cinema that her father was not in. Sofia's minimalist and personal cinema with its themes, concerns and worldview has made for her a special style in her films. The "somewhere”, she made in 2010 has a specific form in structure and content. relatively lengthful shots, fixed camera where the subject is moving in the frame and little dialogue are some of my favorite cinematographic features, which can be seen in abundance in Sofia Coppola's works. The beginning of the film in a fixed frame, where a black Ferrari car is constantly going back and forth, promises a different, fascinating and deep film, and in the final shot, which reminds me of a scene from my own short film (Saz and Khurshid). Johnny, played by Stephen Dorff, leaves the Ferrari on the side of the road and goes alone on the horizon. This is an amazing ending. The film only moves the camera when it is necessary and in line with the structure and content of the film, and this shows the awareness of the director. The film presents a paradox in the world of cinema. Johnny is a depressed, aimless, unmotivated and failed person from the inside and the reality of his life, while he is a prominent actor in the world of cinema and is glamorous.… Expand

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