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"SOMEWHERE" (2010) (Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning) (R) QUICK TAKE: Drama: A Hollywood actor begins to reassess his pampered but otherwise boring life when he spends more time with his mature 11-year-old daughter. PLOT: Johnny Marco (STEPHEN DORFF) is a Hollywood actor, not on the A-list, but still big enough that he gets the royal treatment at press junkets and can afford to drive a Ferrari. Yet, his life, while certainly pampered, doesn't really do anything for him anymore, be that hanging out with his friend, Sammy (CHRIS PONTIUS), or hiring some private strippers to entertain himself. Things start to change when he ends up spending more time with his 11-year-old daughter, Cleo (ELLE FANNING). She spends most of her life with her mom, but with the latter needing more time for herself, the mature for her age girl now ends up with her dad, both at his rented Hollywood hotel "home" and abroad, such as in Italy where work sends him and thus her. With her tagging along, Johnny starts to reassess his life. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? They might if they're fans of anyone in the cast or writer/director Sofia Coppola. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For sexual content, nudity and language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: STEPHEN DORFF plays a Hollywood actor, somewhere below the A-list but still big enough to get the royal treatment at press junkets and other such events. Yet, despite his pampered life, he's bored and pretty much disinterested in his life, even when he tries to liven things up by hiring some private strippers. He drinks, smokes, uses strong profanity, doesn't dress up for work, seems lazy, and has casual sex, but eventually starts to change his ways due to spending more time with his daughter. ELLE FANNING plays that 11-year-old girl who's mature for her age and splits time between her separated or divorced parents. She puts up but isn't always happy with his behavior or choices. CHRIS PONTIUS plays Johnny's friend who spends time hanging out with him and Cleo. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 7 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue is present, as are several sexual encounters (one heard, another featuring male to female oral sex, and implied/off-screen), several views of scantily clad pole dancers privately performing for a man, while a woman exposes her breasts to the same man. Other nudity (bare breasts, full male rear) is also present. A man drunkenly falls down some steps and ends up with his arm in a cast. Drinking and smoking occur throughout the film, as does tense family material and thematic elements. Bad attitudes are present, as is some potentially imitative behavior. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from camera flashes at a press junket. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, there's some occasional, handheld camera footage in the film, along with fast horizontal pans, etc. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Johnny stumbles down some steps while intoxicated (others hold drinks) and is later seen with a cast on his arm and a small bruise on his face. We see a beer in front of Johnny. Johnny has some beer. People drink at a party (wine, beer, liquor), including Johnny who then has another drink. Johnny has a beer. Sammy asks Cleo if her ballet teacher is an alcoholic, saying he knew a girl with one in the past who was, followed by a comment about smelling wine on the breath. A painting/poster states cold beer and beautiful girls. We see champagne in an ice bucket. Johnny has a beer in his hotel suite's indoor pool. Johnny has a beer while miscellaneous people also have drinks. Johnny has a beer with dinner. BLOOD/GROSS STUFF Johnny stumbles down some steps while intoxicated and is later seen with a small bruise on his face. Johnny cuts off his own arm cast and he, Sammy and Cleo react to the bad smell from that. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE At various times in the film, Johnny receives various angry and/or profane text messages from others. Johnny lies to Layla (his separated or ex-wife) about his arm injury (saying he got it doing his own stunts while it was from him drunkenly falling down some steps). While playing a video game with her, Sammy jokingly tells Cleo about her onscreen tennis character, "You're some communist bitch." Johnny never dresses up for any of his press appearances. FRIGHTENING SCENES Some viewers might be unsettled by a scene where makeup artists put goo all over Johnny's face to create the mold for a mask. He's then left alone, with just tiny holes for his nostrils. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "What the f*ck, dude?" "Did you think you'd never f*cking see me again?" "What's your f*cking problem?" "I'm f*cking nothing," "Oh sh*t," "You think you're such a hot sh*t, don't you?" "Why are you such an asshole?" "You moron," "That was awesome," "You're some communist bitch," "She raised hell," and an incomplete "What the..?" Johnny has tattoos. Johnny follows a woman in her car back to her gated place (he then drives off). Two exotic dancers have small tattoos on their lower backs. Sammy has tattoos. A woman in a bikini a floor or so down below Johnny's room exposes her bare breasts to him. Johnny cuts off his own arm cast. Johnny throws some food up into the air and tries to catch it in his mouth. Johnny carries Cleo over his shoulder for fun. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) A song had lyrics we couldn't fully hear and/or understand, thus presenting the possibility of it potentially containing something objectionable. PROFANITY At least 7 "f" words (1 written), 2 "s" words (1 written), 1 ass (written with "hole"), 1 damn, 1 hell, 3 uses of "Oh God," 2 of "Jesus" and 1 use of "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY We see a woman in a very short skirt. Two exotic dancers dressed in sexy nurse outfits perform on poles in Johnny's room while he's in bed recuperating from his busted arm. They show cleavage and small panties (and thus butt cheek) views, and do various sexual moves (bending over, shaking their butts, sashaying around, etc.). But he appears out of it and eventually falls asleep, with them then packing up their gear (including portable poles) and leaving. We briefly see cleavage as a woman passes by in a hallway. Two exotic dancers, dressed as sexy tennis players, privately perform for Johnny who's more attentive this time than last. They're in sports bras (cleavage) and short skirts with small panties beneath (partial bare butt views) as they do their thing, including acrobatic stuff on the poles and shaking their butts. When they're done, one kisses him and then both leave. We see various views of Cleo in her ice skating leotard. A woman shows cleavage at a party and we then see her and Johnny on a bed, fooling around. The scene is dimly lit, but we do see/hear him unzip her dress and then him get on top of her. We hear her say that tickles, while he asks where her panties are, finds and removes them, and kisses down her body to perform oral sex on her. She gets into that, but he then falls asleep or passes out down there, leaving her incredulous. We see a torso and up view of Johnny in the shower, and then him in a towel. Johnny's movie costar isn't happy to be seen with him at a press junket where they must pose together. She then tells him "it wasn't that good" (but we don't know if she means the film, his acting, or maybe a sexual encounter between them). Johnny's driver drops him off at a woman's house. From a distance, we see him enter the room and passionately kiss the woman while grabbing her clothed butt and then hoisting her up so that her legs are around his waist. Sex is implied. We see Johnny in just a towel as he lies down for a massage. His masseur removes his own shirt and then pants (we see his bare butt), thus alarming Johnny who hops back up in just his towel. The masseur says it's just his way of being on the same level (both naked), but Johnny says no thanks. We see TV footage of a shirtless man with Gandhi. We see another torso and up view of Johnny in the shower. Seeing Johnny smoking, a woman (showing cleavage) asks if he has another. He then goes over to her room in just a towel, and we next hear headboard thumping sounds against the wall (nothing seen beyond the headboard moving), followed by him exiting the room in his towel. A woman in a bikini a floor or so down below Johnny's room exposes her bare breasts to him. A woman stops by Johnny's hotel room and sex is implied. The next morning, Cleo is seated by the woman and doesn't look happy about the development, and shoots such a look to her dad when he enters the room. A miscellaneous woman shows cleavage in a low-cut dress. We see miscellaneous cleavage in a TV awards show audience. Some female dancers on the stage do sexy dancing in short skirts and cleavage-revealing tops. Johnny returns home to find a bare-breasted woman in his bed, but he says it isn't a good time (since Cleo is with him -- she doesn't see the woman). We see Johnny in his swim trunks in a pool and then sunbathing (while others are similarly dressed). We see a bare-breasted woman getting her hair done. We see Johnny in his swim trunks while floating in a pool. SMOKING Johnny smokes at least 10 times, while some miscellaneous smoking also occurs. Seeing Johnny smoking, a woman asks if he has another. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Johnny and his wife are divorced or separated, and we hear her tell him not to get Cleo back too late. Johnny's wife (or ex-wife) calls and says she's leaving and that she needs more time, thus requiring him to take Cleo along on his overseas business trip. Cleo is crying as she's about to head off to camp, stating that's because she doesn't know when her mom is coming back and due to Johnny always being gone. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Life as a Hollywood actor. How even rich people can lead boring and unfulfilling lives. Casual sex. Press junkets. Johnny always thinking he's being followed while driving. Cleo often being more of the parent figure than her dad. Johnny gambles in Vegas (noted for those opposed to that). Johnny stating, "I'm f*cking nothing" and "I'm not even a person." VIOLENCE Johnny stumbles down some steps while intoxicated and is later seen with a cast on his arm and a small bruise on his face. Reviewed November 18, 2010 / Posted December 31, 2010

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