Box Office Review - Somewhere

Somewhere is about a very lonely man named Johnny Marco. All though the film does not present much information about Johnny he is an instantly recognisable character. Johnny is an actor, and judging by the way that women throw themselves at him he is a very popular one at that. Somewhere is not a film that glamorises fame and the lifestyle, but is a honest depiction of life in the public eye. No surprise, Johnny's life is filled with pain and sadness just like everyone else's.

Sofia Coppala's Somewhere is a beautiful film that is very stripped down compared to her other works. The film is comprised of long scenes in which nothing much happens. This works in the favour of the film as these long almost boring scenes create an amazing connection with lead character Johnny Marco. It might be sad to say, but watching Johnny doing mundane things like playing video games and eating breakfast makes him easily relatable.

Marco is played by Stephen Dorff who gives a stand out performance. Dorff gets the task of carrying the entire film and he does it flawlessly. The only other character who gets much screen time is Johnny's daughter Cleo who is played by Elle Fanning. She also gives a solid performance. Dorff and Fanning have believable chemistry as father and daughter and this give realism and depth to the emotional scenes they have together.

Somewhere is a very assured film. While the majority of film features long takes as well as some scenes essentially being repeated, no scene comes off as being self indulgent or unnecessary. The film says it quietly, but it does contain an important message about celebrity that is conveyed perfectly. I don't think I have contemplated what the life of an actor is like as much as during and after the watching of this film. Somewhere fits perfectly in Sofia Coppola's filmography.

A Gold Banana