Somewhere
Directed by Sofia Coppola
Distributed by Focus Features
Sofia Coppola’s latest, Somewhere, begins with a long shot of a Ferrari racing around a track. The camera, unlike the car, remains motionless and the only sound heard throughout is the constant fading in and out of the cars motor.
Coppola manages to create a meaningful shot that serves as an introduction of what’s to come.
But, after the car’s fifth time around the track, this seemingly beautiful shot begins to feel mundane and stale. The same thing can be said about the majority of Somewhere.
The film follows the life of movie star Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff). Marco is torn between his hard-party life and his less-than-normal family life after he is paid a surprise visit by his young daughter, Cleo (Elle Fanning).
Marco’s struggles are the only thing that keeps Somewhere from being static. Coppola engineers mood by using long, nearly motionless takes and combines them with a dissonant soundtrack.
Not unlike the opening shot, however, the beauty of this is shadowed by the cyclical manner of Coppola’s fixation.
The film seems more like an exhibition of technique than it does an actual motion picture. This, combined with a nearly stand-still plot and ambiguous ending make for a night at the theatre that can only be described as forgettable.
Somewhere’s only saving grace comes from the comedic duo of Elle Fanning and Chris Pontius (“Party Boy” from the Jackass series). Although Pontius’ role in the film is ambiguous and short, scenes that included him seemed to have more life, texture and humour than the rest of the entire film.
The main point remains that while the film is beautifully made, it lacks substance and motion.
Somewhere is a drawn-out trip that takes viewers nowhere, but at least the car is fancy.