"Who is Johnny Marco?" asks a reporter at a press conference. Johnny, played surprisingly well by Stephen Dorff, sits in his seat, dumbfounded by what the reporter has just asked him. At a loss of words, his reply is "Um...," and suddenly, the scene ends and the viewer is brought to a completely different place. Somewhere is not about identity crisis, as it may seem from that description, but rather about a split personality: a man divided between his two jobs, father and celebrity. Sofia Coppola's uneven, but overall rewarding, film is subtle, sad, and beautifully realized. Upheld by sweet performances, Somewhere manages to deliver with its extended periods of silence and stylish direction.
The metonymic opening scene of a car racing around a circular track in a seemingly barren desert brilliantly represents Somewhere's antihero Johnny Marco. Johnny is a B-list celebrity who enjoys the luxuries of the Château Marmont Hotel in West Hollywood where he watches twin strippers pole dancing and enjoys frequent partying. And then there is Johnny's paternal side. Cleo, Johnny's daughter from a previous marriage, suddenly becomes a major part of himself when his ex-wife takes a leave of absence from Cleo's life. And all too quickly, Johnny begins to realize that he is lonely and unhappy.
Surely, Coppola's style is not for everyone. Somewhere, the polar opposite of Coppola's previous film, the hyper-stylized Marie Antoinette, is drawn back and sleepy. The camera-work in Somewhere lingers on everything, making sure that the viewer is totally thrown into Johnny's solitude. Sometimes, this just is not necessary at all. The opening sequence, while poignant and interesting, fails to completely impress because it is two times as long as it needs to be, much like the rest of the film.
But in many ways, Coppola's style is not all that different from that of Marie Antoinette. Much like the way Coppola alluded to French film with its bubbly atmosphere and choppy edits, Somewhere makes use of the art of homage once again, only this time Italian film plays a major role. When Coppola's narrative takes Johnny to Italy for an awards service, the film noticeably becomes very different. Everything seems to be drawn out, as if the viewer has to see everything. Coppola incorporates elements of Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 and La Dolce Vita to show a sense of disconnect between Johnny and the rest of his world.
Somewhere's look mirrors Johnny's life. The pastel-colored furniture of the Château Marmont represents Johnny's falsification of reality. Everything appears dreamy with a slight aqua tint in most scenes. Moreover, Coppola uses very few objective shots, showing a lack of emotional connection between the viewer and Johnny, a mere reflection of Johnny's relationship with Cleo.
Where the movie falls short lies in Coppola's screenplay. While the movie is well-written, the biggest problem lies in the fact that there is too little dialogue. Not a single word is uttered during the trying first third of the movie. Relying on a great soundtrack is not always the best way to construct a great movie, but thankfully, Coppola has Dorff and Elle Fanning to act her characters brilliantly.
The title of Coppola's well-crafted film is a probably reference to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." As Dorothy muses over how great the land is "over the rainbow" in The Wizard of Oz, she never probably realized how physically and emotionally distant this mythical area could be. Johnny is now living in this "somewhere," a utopia known as Hollywood inhabited by scummy paparazzi and rude movie stars, and find that it really is not all that it is cracked up to be. If only Dorothy knew that Hollywood was not a land "where troubles melt like lemon drops," but rather a desolate sea of solitude.
The metonymic opening scene of a car racing around a circular track in a seemingly barren desert brilliantly represents Somewhere's antihero Johnny Marco. Johnny is a B-list celebrity who enjoys the luxuries of the Château Marmont Hotel in West Hollywood where he watches twin strippers pole dancing and enjoys frequent partying. And then there is Johnny's paternal side. Cleo, Johnny's daughter from a previous marriage, suddenly becomes a major part of himself when his ex-wife takes a leave of absence from Cleo's life. And all too quickly, Johnny begins to realize that he is lonely and unhappy.
Surely, Coppola's style is not for everyone. Somewhere, the polar opposite of Coppola's previous film, the hyper-stylized Marie Antoinette, is drawn back and sleepy. The camera-work in Somewhere lingers on everything, making sure that the viewer is totally thrown into Johnny's solitude. Sometimes, this just is not necessary at all. The opening sequence, while poignant and interesting, fails to completely impress because it is two times as long as it needs to be, much like the rest of the film.
But in many ways, Coppola's style is not all that different from that of Marie Antoinette. Much like the way Coppola alluded to French film with its bubbly atmosphere and choppy edits, Somewhere makes use of the art of homage once again, only this time Italian film plays a major role. When Coppola's narrative takes Johnny to Italy for an awards service, the film noticeably becomes very different. Everything seems to be drawn out, as if the viewer has to see everything. Coppola incorporates elements of Federico Fellini's 8 1/2 and La Dolce Vita to show a sense of disconnect between Johnny and the rest of his world.
Somewhere's look mirrors Johnny's life. The pastel-colored furniture of the Château Marmont represents Johnny's falsification of reality. Everything appears dreamy with a slight aqua tint in most scenes. Moreover, Coppola uses very few objective shots, showing a lack of emotional connection between the viewer and Johnny, a mere reflection of Johnny's relationship with Cleo.
Where the movie falls short lies in Coppola's screenplay. While the movie is well-written, the biggest problem lies in the fact that there is too little dialogue. Not a single word is uttered during the trying first third of the movie. Relying on a great soundtrack is not always the best way to construct a great movie, but thankfully, Coppola has Dorff and Elle Fanning to act her characters brilliantly.
The title of Coppola's well-crafted film is a probably reference to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." As Dorothy muses over how great the land is "over the rainbow" in The Wizard of Oz, she never probably realized how physically and emotionally distant this mythical area could be. Johnny is now living in this "somewhere," a utopia known as Hollywood inhabited by scummy paparazzi and rude movie stars, and find that it really is not all that it is cracked up to be. If only Dorothy knew that Hollywood was not a land "where troubles melt like lemon drops," but rather a desolate sea of solitude.