Hi Dad.

Somewhere

I had high expectations walking into Somewhere. This is Sofia Coppola's latest and I was pretty positive Somewhere would be more like Lost in Translation as opposed to Marie Antoinette. I ended up thoroughly enjoying Somewhere, but it was a far different film than I imagined it would be. Coppola's story of a pleasure-addicted Hollywood actor named Johnny Marco and his relationship with his young daughter Cleo is almost an anti-film, with little dialogue and a strong use of imagery to convey theme.

I was surprised at Coppola's choice of Stephen Dorff for the lead. All I knew of Dorff was that he was in a Britney Spears music video and a movie called Alone in the Dark with Christian Slater and Tara Reid. Enough said. But I was floored by his performance in Somewhere. He worked with very little dialogue and relied on his face and interactions with Elle Fanning, who plays his young daughter. Sometimes with quiet performances with little words, we can tell that the actor wants to to talk but the script won't allow them to or you can tell they are thinking about other things. Not the case with Dorff. We can see his character thinking about a million things during those periods of silence: his intent and long gazes at his daughter signal him questioning whether he's a good father or when he can drop her off to get to his latest girlfriend's house. His slight but playful smiles show how much he loves his daughter and how proud of he is of the person she's becoming, despite his absence. Particularly towards the end his silence and gaze speak louder than words can.

Fanning and Dorff work well together and I really wonder what kind of bonding or character work they did to prepare for their roles. They portray a strong but rarely experienced bond as their time together is rare. There are even several scenes where they dress in similar colors. These two are definitely father and daughter.

Somewhere is filled to the brim with imagery to convey the film's themes. We open with what seems like a too long sequence of Dorff's character racing his car in circles, showing the monotony of his life. Images and copied scenes signal the repetition of Marco's days. When Marco's getting his make-up test for a role, the camera lingers on his plastered face, which formed a subtle frown. We are looking at Marco from the inside. He's blank and sad. The turning point is blunt and brilliant. The end's imagery is powerful and hopeful, a story itself.

Somewhere has Sofia Coppola written all over it. The images and people are fair and beautiful. There's a strong sense of mood. The film is accompanied by an excellent soundtrack and Coppola uses it strategically. There's one song that plays continuously throughout the film, but we only hear the beginning. It's not until Marco has made a transformation, he's finally going somewhere, that we get to hear the Phoenix song in it's entirety.

Somewhere is not for everyone. It takes a while to get going and with little dialogue, this film isn't for a non-patient viewer. The narrative is unconventional. But if one has the patience to watch and appreciate Somewhere for what it is and what it is saying, you will thoroughly enjoy it.

Will Smith in I Am Legend

It takes talent and charisma to carry a film. It takes ten times that to be the only person in a film for most of its running time. Will Smith just has this immense appeal and while he isn't the most talented actor working, he can carry a film. One doesn't get bored watching him or get sick of him talking to himself. He works well with his costar, a German Shepard. He shows a good range in I Am Legend and he's at his best during the film's most tense moments.

Netflix

Midnight Cowboy-Classic Dustin.
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps-Carey Mulligan. I'll see it.
Wristcutters: A Love Story-Netflix Instant. Have the soundtrack, haven't seen the movie.