Sofia Coppola returns to more comfortable territory after Marie Antoinette...

Somewhere, the latest semi-autobiographical picture from Sofia Coppola, proclaims to be the true story about the lifestyles of the rich and the famous. But is it really? Although it’s easy to believe our “hero”, film star Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff) is a self-absorbed prick, and that his career’s on a big downer (his latest film looks a bit like a cheap Sopranos knock-off), it’s more difficult to accept Marco as a human being. Coppola keeps Marco ambiguous, leaving the viewer to fill in the gaps - but we need a certain degree of empathy with him in order to acknowledge that deep down, he’s a nice guy.

If you haven’t gagged at the abundance of clichés mentioned already, you’re only skirting the perimeter. Precocious-but-loveable daughter Cleo (Elle Fanning) bonds with her dad while showing herself to be wise far beyond her years - she understands the Hollywood lifestyle, and though Daddy might not know her too well and is often too busy to pay attention to her, Cleo shows a compassion for her father, only looking at his good qualities; which is bloody impressive considering that Marco is very unlikeable. And of course, our protagonist learns more about himself and must come to a decision about where his life is heading.

I did warn you.

So Somewhere isn’t the most original film you’ve seen or were hoping for. It’s a particular shame that while Coppola wants us to see the ins and outs of a day in the life of an A-lister, this is nothing we haven’t seen before. Films such as Spread and Coppola’s own Lost in Translation have tested these waters before, and this latest entry into this odd sub-genre is no better than any of the others. It’s so disappointingly mediocre you’ll probably have forgotten all about it as soon as you leave the theatre.

The blandness of the film is clear to see, but there’s also lots to praise about this effort. This is a big step up from Coppola’s last film, Marie Antoinette, as she is clearly a better director when she’s focusing on events that she has a clear passion for, and it's in this respect that the film hits its stride; the best scenes are always those showing the two different sides to the father/daughter relationship, which Coppola handles delicately and unobtrusively. She is also benefited by two great performances from Dorff and Fanning, who have a natural on-screen chemistry, and really bring their ultimately paper-thin characters to life. The lack of plot or script isn’t a problem, as it helps to create a sense of normality, which is very useful in emphasising how Cleo sees this world her father lives in as a way of life.

As ever with these types of Very Important pictures, long, long, shots are present and correct and a load of imagery (including Marco driving round and round a race track aimlessly to reflect his state at the time) crops up too. The ending is interesting: a mix of melodrama and subtlety that shouldn’t work, but somehow manages to. Yet despite all the positives, the huge clichés and unoriginality beg the question: is this the true story? Or are we still waiting for a real exposé of Hollywood life?

Somewhere opens in the US on the 22nd of December

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