SOMEWHERE

Drama

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Stephen Dorff: Johnny Marco, a Hollywood actor
Elle Fanning: his 11-year-old daughter Cleo

REVIEW
The movie Somewhere goes nowhere. Essentially that’s the bottom line of what is to follow.

Firstly in keeping with Ralph’s Rule of Redundancy which states “Any film where one person (Sofia Coppola) takes on more than two key positions (Writer, Director and Producer) has at least one major shortcoming.”

In this case there are at least four:
• the complete absence of any real story or plot
• amateurish cinematography techniques: one stationary camera
• extremely long takes: one goes on for more than 2 minutes
• repetitive scenes: for example we see Johnny take 3 showers

CLASSIFICATION
for sexual content, nudity and language.

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
While having lunch on the patio although Johnny does not touch it his beer rotates from one cut to another.

At the bottom of the frame we see the roofline shadow of Johnny’s car with what appears to be a slot for attaching tie-downs. A Ferrari has no such protuberance.

Las Vegas as far as I know has the most strict laws in the country regarding children. For example unless accompanied by an adult, anyone under the age of 18 is not even allowed out at night after 10pm. Very strictly enforced is the rule that minors are not allowed in the casino gaming areas yet 11-year-old Cleo is right by his side as her dad shoots craps.

Cleo in most scenes does not have braces on her teeth but they appear from time to time like when in the living room with Johnny’s pal Sammy.

P.S.
The first film Ms. Coppola directed was Lost in Translation. My review for that one pretty much mirrors my feelings about her latest effort:
“I have tried really hard to see why so many critics are raving about this one. I’m still not able to reconcile the two: they think it’s great, I think it stinks.”