Line #2 Film/Somewhere


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/somewhere1_4967.jpg]]
2
3	''Somewhere'' is a 2010 drama and writer and director Creator/SofiaCoppola's fourth feature film. It stars Creator/ElleFanning and Creator/StephenDorff, as well as Creator/EllieKemper, Chris Pontius, and Creator/MichelleMonaghan in bit roles. The film examines themes of success and isolation similar to Coppola's previous works, particularly ''Film/LostInTranslation''. Once again, the protagonist is a celebrity going through an existential crisis.
4
5	Johnny Marco is an actor who has recently divorced and lives an empty life consisting of alcohol, women, and his Ferrari. When his pre-teen daughter Cleo comes to spend a week with Johnny before she goes off to summer camp, Johnny is forced to re-examine his life.
6
7	----
8
9	!!This film provides examples of:
10	* ActorAllusion: In Milan, Johnny is asked by an Italian film distributor to speak about what it was like working with Creator/AlPacino. Coppola played Pacino's daughter in ''Film/TheGodfatherPartIII''.
11	* AmbiguouslyAbsentParent: Johnny has not been a huge presence in Cleo’s life, and the film follows his attempt to make up for lost time. Layla, Cleo’s mom and Johnny’s ex-wife, is only seen once, and afterwards is heard [[TheVoice only through the phone]]. She leaves Cleo with Johnny for a week because she is having a personal crisis, which is never elaborated on.
12	* BlatantLies: When Johnny's ex-wife asks how he injured his arm, he says he got it doing stunt work in his film. The injury actually happened when he drunkenly fell down some stairs.
13	* {{Bookends}}: Begins and ends with Johnny driving in his car and getting out.
14	* CallingTheOldManOut: When Cleo starts crying on the road trip, Johnny asks her what's wrong. Cleo says she's afraid her mom won't show up to get her at the end of summer camp, and tells Johnny, "You're always gone."
15	* TheCameo: Creator/BenicioDelToro, several [[FashionModel/RealLife fashion models]], and the band Rooney, whose lead singer is the [[FamilyBusiness director's cousin]].
16	* CharacterDevelopment: In the beginning, Johnny is driving his Ferrari around in circles and is living in the Chateau Marmont, illustrating his rootlessness and longtime immersion in the [[HorribleHollywood Hollywood scene]]. By the film’s end, [[spoiler: he has moved out of the hotel, literally walks away from his Ferrari, and appears to have a new outlook on life.]]
17	* CultureClash: When Johnny accepts a Telegatto at the Italian award show, dancers in skimpy outfits suddenly join him onstage and perform a song. One of them grinds on Johnny, and he just stands there [[FishOutOfWater awkwardly smiling]], not knowing what to do.
18	* DadsCantCook: Cleo is shown to be an adept cook for her age and makes meals while staying with Johnny. After Cleo leaves, Johnny refrains from ordering room service and attempts to cook spaghetti. The colander he uses is too small and he spills some pasta in the sink.
19	* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: Johnny admits this in tears over the phone.
20	* EmotionalTorque: At the end after a day of fun in Las Vegas, Johnny must put Cleo in a taxi that will take her to summer camp while a helicopter waits to take him back to the Chateau Marmont. After Cleo gets in the taxi, Johnny shouts to her, "I'm sorry I haven't been around." Cleo can't hear what he's saying because of the helicopter's noise. Despite not knowing what her father said, Cleo smiles and waves back at her father as the taxi leaves.
21	* GoodTimesMontage: Johnny and Cleo's day out by the pool, having an underwater tea party, sunbathing, and playing ping pong.
22	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Johnny’s childhood friend Sammy.
23	* IgnoreTheFanservice: In a subtler example than most, Johnny tries to feign interest in the strippers he hires, but he really doesn't seem to care that they're there.
24	* {{Improv}}: Much of the dialogue was improvised by the actors. This helped to elicit reactions of genuine surprise from Creator/ElleFanning.
25	** There is also some improvised lines that referred to what happened in the real-life during filming. For example, there was a scene where Johnny playfully and harmlessly carrying Cleo on his shoulder as a game and running in the lobby. He then commented that Cleo was a lot easier to carry in the past and concluded that Cleo was growing up after putting her down safely. This was also improvised by Stephen Dorff, which served as both Johnny's in-universe exclaimation of how time flies due to Cleo growing up and a reference to the Elle Fanning's real-life [[IGotBigger intense growth spurt]] at the time.
26	* LeaveTheCameraRunning: There are many scenes of this style throughout, but a prominent one is the scene of Johnny being fitted for a plaster mold of his head. The camera zooms in to Johnny’s face covered in white goo and for a full minute, there is no movement and the only audible sound is Johnny's breathing as he waits for the plaster to set. The scene evokes the humdrum routines of Johnny’s life and how numb he has become to everything.
27	* TheMakeover: Makeup artists transform Johnny into an 80-year-old man.
28	* {{Manchild}}: PlayedForDrama. Johnny is a grown man in his forties who gets drunk, pops pills, parties and orders strippers day in and day out. He does seem to be maturing out of this by the movie's end, though: he makes pasta rather than ordering room service like he usually does, moves out of the Chateau Marmont, and leaves his flashy Ferrari by the side of the highway.
29	* ManlyTears: Cleo has left for summer camp, and Johnny is back to being [[LonelyBachelorPad alone in his suite]]. On the phone with his ex-wife, Johnny breaks down and cries about being nothing.
30	* ParentsAsPeople: There's no doubt that Johnny loves Cleo but the pressures of his career, his immaturity and his depression hamper his efforts much of the time.
31	* {{Permastubble}}: Johnny's default look from day to day. As his depression becomes clearer, it also serves as a subtle BeardOfSorrow.
32	* RiddleForTheAges: Over the course of the film, Johnny receives angry text messages from an unidentified person. It is likely an ex-lover, but it is never revealed. The fact that Johnny does not delete these messages or block the number hints at his own self-loathing.
33	* ShoutOut:
34	** Cleo plays VideoGame/GuitarHero with her dad and plays tennis on Nintendo UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} with Sammy.
35	** Johnny and Cleo stay up late watching an episode of ''Series/{{Friends}}'' dubbed in Italian during their stay in Milan.
36	** Cleo tells her father what the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' books are about.
37	--> '''Johnny''': What's that book about again?
38	--> '''Cleo''': It's about this girl that's in love with this guy. But he's a vampire, and his whole family's vampires. So she can't really be with him.
39	--> '''Johnny''': Why doesn't she become one too?
40	--> '''Cleo''': Because she can't. He doesn't want to turn her into a vampire. And if she gets too close to him, he won't be able to help himself.
41	--> '''Johnny''': Oh, man.
42	* ShowDontTell: Like Coppola’s previous films, ''Somewhere'' has an atmospheric and dreamlike quality, and is not very plot-driven or heavy on dialogue.
43	* SilenceIsGolden: There is no dialogue until 15 minutes into the film, giving viewers a front seat to the ennui of Johnny’s daily life and habits.
44	* WhatIsThisFeeling: Johnny accompanies Cleo to her ice skating practice. While sitting at the rink, Johnny is initially distracted with his phone, but later is amazed at his daughter and has a look on his face of realization that he's missed out on time with her.
45	* WiseBeyondTheirYears: While staying with Johnny at the Chateau, the eleven-year-old Cleo orders ingredients from room service. She [[SwappedRoles cooks meals]] for Johnny and Sammy, including macaroni and cheese and an Eggs Benedict breakfast (complete with expertly arranged garnish).
46	* YouDidntSeeThat: Johnny walks out of the suite next door, having just hooked up with the woman who lives there. He is greeted by the sight of an unannounced Cleo sitting outside his door. Because Johnny is only wearing a [[ModestyTowel towel wrapped around his waist]], Cleo thinks [[ChildrenAreInnocent he went to use his neighbor’s shower]].
47	--> '''Cleo''': Why are you taking a bath next door? Is yours broken?
48	--> '''Johnny''': ...yeah.

Context Film / Somewhere