Sofia Coppola’s four brilliant films all have memorable opening shots. In “The Virgin Suicides”, I remember Kirsten Dunst sucking casually on a lollipop in the middle of a street. In “Lost in Translation”, we get a gratuitously divine hold on Scarlett Johansson’s ass in see-through panties. In “Marie Antoinette”, yet again, we see Kirsten Dunst, this time being pampered while laying amidst a sea of pink cakes. And in “Somewhere”, Coppola’s latest masterpiece, the camera is motionless for what seems like a good three minutes, pointing at the corner of a dusty race track, interrupted only occasionally by the roaring engine of a jet black Ferrari. After a few laps, Stephen Dorff parks the glorious machine, gets out, and simply stands there, as if to say, “Now what?”
That scene sets up a film about a megastar actor, Johnny Marco (Dorff), who is holed up in the historic and notorious Hollywood hotel and celebrity hangout, Chateau Marmont. He practically lives there… screwing every gorgeous woman he can get his hands on… paying stripper twins to strip him to sleep… drinking himself into a stupor every night. He barely manages to crawl out of bed every day to get to his mandatory press junkets and promotional photoshoots. In the dead moments between his career and his debauchery, Johnny is a bored, lost and lonely man.
His daughter, Cleo (Elle Fanning), comes to visit on Sundays. He takes her ice-skating. He asks her how she got so good and, to his surprise, she tells him that she has been training for three years. It dawns on him how little he knows his own daughter.
One weekend, the mother calls, and asks him to take care of Cleo — as she has to “go away” for a while. This turns out to be an opportunity for Johnny to make some necessary changes in his life… An opportunity to spend some time with Cleo.
What plays out is an authentic and touching awakening of a lost soul. “Somewhere” is a lovely father-daughter relationship film that never strays beyond the boundaries of its two primary characters. It is an intimate story about the little things in life — about the time we spend, and miss, with the ones we love the most.
Sofia Coppola has to be considered one of the best directors in the world today. Every time out, she delivers one of the finest films of that particular year. She is a director with an infinite array of qualities. She has the confidence of a seasoned pro — never afraid to hold the moment, never tempted to distract us with nonsense. She is fearlessly artistic. I can count on one hand the number of directors in the world today who are as observant through the lens as she.
Consider the scene in which Dorff’s character goes in to a special-effects make-up studio to be fitted for a mask. What could have been a throw-away scene evolves into a horrific slow-zoom shot of a man encased in sadness, alone and insular, listening to the sound of his own breath. It is a stunning moment that most writer-directors would never have even contemplated.
You can really tell that Coppola has experienced some of the moments she puts in the film. I was struck by the subtle inclusion of a wooden step that Johnny uses when posing for an awkward photoshoot with the tall co-star of his latest blockbuster. I loved the quick conversation that Johnny is trapped into when a young aspiring actor corners him at a party. I admired the morning-after scene that takes place in an Italian hotel suite as Cleo, Johnny and Johnny’s latest conquest all share an uncomfortable breakfast. Sofia Coppola can do more with a few unspoken glances than most directors can do with a 200 million dollar budget.
Dorff, who I loved in a recent hidden gem called “Felon”, gives the performance of his career here. Perhaps with the guidance of Coppola, who is naturally prone to understatement herself, Dorff maintains authenticity throughout the story. I believed every moment. He should be considered for an Oscar this year. However, the star of the film is quite easily Elle Fanning, who gives one of the most natural performances I have seen in years. There is nothing false about it. It is an astonishing effort that, were it not for Natalie Portman’s effort in “Black Swan”, would rank as my favorite of 2010. She is utterly wonderful.
“Somewhere” is, without question, one of my favorite films of the year. Much like “Lost in Translation”, an all time classic, this is a story about the fleeting nature of time. It is a story about the little things that matter most. It suggests that a lost soul is not ever beyond hope. It suggests that time and memories with loved ones are the only things that matter. Everything else is a waste… even a jet black Ferrari.
