‘Somewhere’ – Coppola’s latest gets ‘Lost’

Those who hated director Sofia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation” may rush the screen with the sharpest object at hand after seeing “Somewhere.”

Coppola’s new film riffs on some of the same themes explored in “Translation” – the loneliness of fame, the misery of wealth and the expectations that come with stardom.

“Translation” boasted a complicated bond between stars Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. In “Somewhere,” we’re given far less to explore, even if the film’s leads deliver nuanced performances in essentially a lost cause.

Stephen Dorff plays Johnny Marco, a movie star preparing to do press for his latest action adventure film. He’s got all the time in the world to kill, so he spends it driving his Ferrari in circles – literally – and watching strippers perform synchronized routines.

Well, someone’s gotta live the life of a superstar, and Johnny knows the drill. He calls a posh room at Los Angeles’ Chateau Marmont hotel home and seems content to drift through life unencumbered by relationships lasting more than 24 hours.

Even when he breaks his arm after a drunken tumble it doesn’t slow him down – or his hedonistic impulses. But when his ex-wife leaves their adorable daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) in his lap, Johnny must reconsider his lifestyle – and duties as a father.

Coppola remains disinterested in by-the-numbers movie making. “Somewhere” revels in the same languid sequences which marked “Translation,” and there’s precious little dialogue spoken in any given scene. The effect can be mesmerizing, but without an emotional follow through it feels affected, not engulfing.

It’s a film almost bleached of conventional sources of tension. Father and daughter spend quality time – at last. They play the Wii. They eat gelato ice cream. They swim. They giggle over Rock Star video duels. The only hiccup comes from random text messages Johnny receives calling him a jerk. Johnny is a pleasant fellow to have around, and he’s only curt with the women who flit oh so briefly into his life. Then again, did they expect roses or an engagement ring from a superstar actor’s one night stand?

We’re left to linger on Dorff’s face, which rallies to Coppola’s side in remarkable ways. Even those whose distaste for Coppola’s style cannot be assuaged will emerge from “Somewhere” re-thinking Dorff’s talents.

“Lost in Translation” studied an aging movie star in repose. Murray’s character felt silly for the perks of his profession but couldn’t turn them down all the same. Depositing him in Japan, where the blinking lights and foreign language further heightened his sense of isolation, added another layer of brilliance to the story.

Johnny Marco is far less interesting on almost every level. He’s not burned out. He doesn’t have a drinking problem, per se. His career appears to be quite healthy. His daughter loves him and seems well adjusted despite Johnny’s absence in her life.

“Somewhere” continues Coppola’s fascination with celebrity in our media-saturated age – even her 2006 film “Marie Antoinette” concerned a rock star for her age. This time, it’s clear only those who have lived in the writer/director’s legendary circle will appreciate a tale told from its pampered vortex.

(Photo: Stephen Dorff stars in Sofia Coppola’s “Somewhere,” a Focus Features release. Photo Credit: Merrick Morton)

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