While Sofia Coppola comes from an impressive pedigree of filmmaking talent, she has carved a niche for herself by stepping out of the shadow of her illustrious father, Francis Ford Coppola. The Oscar winner’s films are characterized by relatable human emotions and situations that have always touched a chord with viewers all across the world.
While Lost In Translation starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson put Coppola on the map as a discerning screenplay writer and director, revered film critic Roger Ebert also brought to light an underrated film of the Lady Bird filmmaker, which prompted him to give it full marks in his grading system.
Roger Ebert Was Extremely Impressed With Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere
Sofia Coppola is a master at painting the various shades of human relationships in her films. While Lost In Translation was her big claim to fame as a writer and filmmaker, Somewhere was an underrated gem that showcased Coppola’s sensitivity as a director. The film follows a Hollywood star and a father who is offered a chance to change his life of vices through a relationship with his 11-year -old daughter.
In the film, Coppola beautifully brought emotion, innocence, and love to the fore through the father-daughter connection. Veteran film critic Roger Ebert was so taken in by the Lady Bird director’s prowess, that he awarded the film his coveted 4-star rating. In his review published in Rogerebert.com, the writer emphasized on Coppola’s grip on characterization and said,
“Coppola is a fascinating director. She sees, and we see exactly what she sees. There is little attempt here to observe a plot. All the attention is on the handful of characters.”
From Ebert’s assessment of the film, it was evident that he valued the depth of human experience in the narrative, and Sofia Coppola brought a great deal of that to the fore in Somewhere.
Sofia Coppola And The Deep Dive Into Human Emotions
Apart from receiving the prestigious 4-star rating from Roger Ebert, Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere made waves that year by winning the the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. This recognition made Coppola the first American woman to win the award. A master at breaking down modern relationships in a relatable manner, the filmmaker spoke to Elle about what attracted her to these themes, and elaborated on her vision for her films.
“My films are about looking at what kind of person you want to be; your identity compared to the setting you’re in. I’m interested in characters who are at moments of transition and are self-reflective. At those times you can feel alienated and I’m interested to know more about that and not interested to write about the moments in life when everything is going smoothly, which is not challenging.”
Coppola also credited her famous father Francis Ford Coppola for teaching her the ropes, and advising her on the importance of the story and the characters in a film.
