6/3/11

Somewhere (2010)

Sophia Coppola wrote and directed the film. Her brother, Roman Coppola, produced it. Shot on location at Chateau Marmont, the lengendary L.A. hotel that is almost a rite-of-passage residence for young actors.

This story features Cleo (Elle Fanning), a lovely eleven year old who is sent to live with her actor dad while mom takes a break from her role as mother. Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff) is a well-known actor, a good-looking guy who drives a Ferrari, drinks, parties, chases women and lives at Chateau Marmont.

Described as a "poetic drama," the story begins when Marco breaks his hand in a drunken fall. Just as his life seems to be empty of meaning, his daughter arrives full of new energy.

The DVD bonus features are worth watching. Sophia explains that her early life involved a lot of travel with her famous moviemaker father, Franicis Ford Coppola. Hotels now seem to play a role in many of her movies. She mentions having her 13th birthday party at the Chateau. Stephen Dorff claims to have spent $85,000 on his 21st birthday at the hotel. 

Johnny Marco attempts to manage the sudden responsibility with the demands of his Hollywood life, including a trip to Milan for an awards show, where they stay at another luxurious hotel. Cleo leads him into a more meaningful life beyond the car and party world.