MOVIE REVIEW: SOMEWHERE

If you ever take an acting class, the teacher will likely reiterate Meisner's famous sentiment: “An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words.”

From Lost in Translation to Marie Antoinette, this also seems like unspoken mantra of most Sophia Coppola movies. Her latest film, Somewhere, is no exception.

The story revolves around Johnny Marco (Stephen Doff), a famous actor living in Hollywood's legendary Chateau Marmont in Hollywood.  He drives a Ferrari, throws parties in the hotel penthouse, and can sleep with any beautiful, blonde model of his choice. (There's a lot of blonde in the movie.  A lot.)  But when his 11-year-old daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) shows up outside at his door, planning to stay indefinitely, Johnny's forced to leave his numb party world and look at the truth of his lonely life.

Above all, Somewhere, like Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette, is really pretty to watch. Whether driving through the Hollywood Hills or lying in an ornate Italian hotel bed, Dorff and Fanning's subtle father-daughter relationship is sweet, honest, and anything but forced.   Although at times you may find yourself asking “is this a silent film?” the movie's solid acting, beautiful cinematography, and awesome original score by Phoenix makes it worth the $10 ticket.

Can you actually describe how far the characters have come by the end of the story? Not really. But, if you didn't mind not knowing what Bill Murray whispers to Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation, Somewhere's ambiguous conclusion probably won't bother you either.

P.S. See if you can spot brief appearances by Erin Wasson and Nathalie Love.