If Lost In Translation managed to tell an affecting and romantic story in a stripped back style that favoured less action and more lingering, Sofia Coppola's follow-up, the vaguely titled Somewhere, is an experiment in minimalism. Indeed, Coppola's film - which is set almost entirely in a Los Angeles hotel - seems set-up purposely as an exercise in subtlety. The storyline is summed up in just a few words: "Sad film star mopes around hotel with his daughter." Unlike with Lost In Translation, however, the lack of focus and aimless narrative makes Somewhere harder to love. What's interesting about Somewhere is that Coppola clearly knows what she's doing; the film is called "Somewhere," after all, and the story is thin to such a point that it could have only been done that way on purpose. There is the tiniest hint of a story arc for Stephen Dorff's central hero, Johnny, sure, but the lack of narrative is there to symbolise the character's empty existence (just as with the film, Johnny's life is going nowhere). Still, despite lovely cinematography, and great performances, Somewhere never really justifies its increasingly meandering nature.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
