Review of Somewhere (2010) by Rodney S — 24 Apr 2011

Sofia is back with a film that is sparse and minimalist in every sense.

Dialogue is infrequent and for a majority of the film we are following Johnny Marco through his vaccuous life at the Chateau Marmont (pole dancers, random parties and hook ups). On these terms, this is a difficult film to access. What the film does have in spades though is a vibe and a tone that draws you in and we become more invested in Johnny the more he hangs out with his daughter. Visually, this is a lovely film to watch with real locations for a change. If the dialogue was muted, you would still be able to understand what was happening.

Dorff is pretty good here and when he starts to show some emotion towards the end it feels real. The real star of the film is Elle Fanning. In a word she is terrific, supplying the film with the charm and heart that it needs.

I totally understand the mixed reaction to this film as it is a divisive experience, I for one appreciated it, especially as the fabulous Ellie Kemper pops up in it (absolutely love this girl's work in the office). One of those films that has snuck up on me the day after watching it, I liked it a lot....