Reviewed by Ricky Ghosh Dastidar
Stars Steve Buscemi, Sienna Miller, Michael Buscemi, Tara Elders,
David Schecter, Molly Griffith, Elizabeth Bracco, James Franco
Written by Steve Buscemi & David Schechter, based
on the original screenplay by Theodore Holman
Certification UK 15 | US R
Runtime 84 minutes
Directed by Steve Buscemi
This latest film by indie legend Steve Buscemi is based on the original by Dutch filmmaker and descendant of Vincent, Theo Van Gogh — who was murdered in 2004 by Islamic fundamentalists after they objected to his documentary, Submission Part 1. Buscemi stars as ambitious political journalist Pierre Peders. After falling out with his editor, he is forced to interview a famous soap star and it-girl played by Sienna Miller. Most of the film takes place in a penthouse apartment owned by Miller’s character, Katya. The two actors share about 95% of the screentime, making it more like a stage-play as it relies solely on a dialogue-heavy script and the interplay between the two actors.
The initial interview in an up-market restaurant goes disastrously wrong. This is mainly because of Pedro’s indifference and Katya’s poor timekeeping skills, and they both storm out separately as a result. A chance-encounter on the street a few minutes later, due a minor car accident, leads to the seemingly shallow actress inviting the edgy journalist up to her apartment to clean his wounds. Here’s when the movie really starts, and the actors get the opportunity to display the full magnitude of their acting chops. Miller’s character lives her life in the public eye and her private life far overshadows her professional work. I couldn’t help thinking that it wasn’t much of a stretch for Miller and although she plays the part to a satisfactory level, it is Buscemi who really shines. In addition to a solid acting performance, his direction is assured and he employs Van Gogh’s three-simultaneous-digital-cameras filming technique to terrific effect. It very impressively brings out a sense of space between the two characters that’s both claustrobic and expansive.
Where the film falters, however, is the script. Although engaging for the most part, to sustain audience interest for a full 84 minutes, it really ought to have done more. There are also certain elements in the film that are discomforting, such as the emotional dynamic between the characters — which borders both on the erotic and the paternal. But although the film does have some dull moments, it generally has enough twists and turns and quirky charm to keep most viewers awake.