.

Somewhere

Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning

Directed by Sofia Coppola
Rolling Stone: star rating
5 3
Community: star rating
5 3 0
December 21, 2010

By taking her sweet, subtle time to tell the story of a Hollywood child (Elle Fanning) spending time with her neglectful movie-star daddy (Stephen Dorff), writer-director Sofia Coppola defies American audiences who want their films like their food: fast. Got to love the Coppola resistance. She gives Somewhere the hypnotically deliberate pace of a European art film, as Cleo, 11, hangs with her father, Johnny Marco, around L.A.'s Chateau Marmont. The two play video games, slouch around the Chateau lobby and pool, and jet off to an awards show in Milan. Cleo ice-skates; Johnny invites two pole dancers to his room. Through the awkward boredom, we are meant to discern a relationship between a man in crisis and a daughter on the cusp of womanhood. Dorff and Fanning could not be better at embodying those states. As in Lost in Translation, Coppola keeps an eye out for the broken places. That's when Somewhere is really something.

prev
Movie Review Main Next

ADD A COMMENT

Community Guidelines »
loading comments

loading comments...

COMMENTS

Sort by:
    Read More

    Movie Reviews

    More Reviews »
    Daily Newsletter

    Get the latest RS news in your inbox.

    Sign up to receive the Rolling Stone newsletter and special offers from RS and its
    marketing partners.

    X

    We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Rolling Stone and its partners. For more information please read our Privacy Policy.

    Song Stories

    “Is It True”

    Brenda Lee | 1964

    As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

    More Song Stories entries »