Somewhere is somewhere between the vapid neon encounter that is Lost in Translation and the decadent, sprawling nothingness that is Marie Antoinette. All of these films were directed by Sofia Coppola, daughter to legendary The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola.

Sofia is quickly making a name for herself as one of Hollywood’s finest art directors, with Oscar nominations to boot and a controversial Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival for Somewhere… It’s no Lost in Translation 2.

This slice-of-life drama follows Johnny Marco, a hard-living generic Hollywood star on his day-to-day meanderings around Los Angeles. Watching twin strippers do synchronised pole-dancing in his apartment, playing Guitar Hero, getting face molds created for roles, attending press junkets and embracing the rock ‘n roll excesses of life have become the norm in the real Hollywood. Everything seems to blur together as we learn more about the character. Then, a surprise visit from his daughter gives the star a chance to re-examine his own life. Massages, booze, work, obligation… whoever said “fame is a whore” may have been misquoted after slurring “fame is a chore”.

“Real guitar or toy guitar – SFW, I still ROCK!”

The film was written with Stephen Dorff in mind. Perhaps Coppola had a crush and wanted to work with the Hollywood stud. He’s definitely star material, despite a low-boiling latter half to his film career. Real-life boyfriend, Quentin Tarantino, controversially enabled Coppola to claim the Golden Lion, but they’ve got more than a Golden Lion and shared affinity for film-making in common. They’re famous for polishing tarnished stars. Dorff works well in Somewhere – not brilliant, just good. Most of the film’s dialogue is improvised… making the film basically a derivative or caricature of his own life as a Hollywood celeb and how difficult is it to play yourself? Quite.

Chris Pontius of Jackass notoriety and Michelle Monaghan make “guest” appearances, both improvised and creating a more realistic atmosphere. Somewhere is also one of the quieter films out there with very little noise filling the backdrop, traded for the sounds of the odd Guitar Hero track, a Shannon twins strip dance routine song or a lone guitarist.

“…and that’s Daddy with blood on his face in Blade.”

He stars alongside Elle Fanning (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), sister of Dakota, who has become the art house version of her famous sister. Fanning delivers the goods in a part, which generally requires presence and a good daughter-to-father connection. She impressed critics with Phoebe in Wonderland and the pre-film relationship established between Dorff and his young co-star makes this bond convincing. Dorff even went as far as picking Elle up from school to add to the sense of familial history.

Coppola has blended the simplicity and reality of YouTube video culture with an intriguing, languishing story about the emptiness of stardom. An extended fixed shot of a black Ferrari doing laps on a circuit open the film, while creeping zooms into the behind-the-scenes culture of Hollywood unveil some fascinating moments. She’s captured the beauty of ordinary everyday events in quite a stark, yet composed manner – tweaked by fame.

Stripper twins wind their bodies around poles imperfectly mirroring each other, while we just see Dorff puffing on a cigarette in other moments abstract and alienating moments. Coppola teases the audience with a light sexual overlay, showing a bare-breasted woman at the end of a passage or a scene in which a male masseuse creates an awkward unusual Hollywood moment. It all seems inspired by the real Hollywood, just like the smog that hangs over the real LA, the film undresses the flip side of the glitz and glamour… revealing a big nothing in art house style.

The bottom line: Experiential.

Release Date: 8 April, 2011

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