Diving head first into the conceited world of diva favorite table reservations and journalism with high moral standards, Interview is a talkie piece that offers a battle of the sexes and clash of egos between two head-strong personalities. Actor/director Steve Buscemi’s most recent project behind the camera is an English language remake of the late Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh’s 2003 film, except here the stage is engrained with a tough New York attitude. A nocturnal marathon of put-me-downs and pick-me-ups, this showcases the seductive attributes of actress Sienna Miller, whose physical splendor and linguistic acrobatics makes for an appealing cerebral jousting match with one of the best in verbal abusers.
What do a journalist and a movie star with a great face have in common? Not much if you scratch the surface. Here the tall, pretty smile, lanky actress who’s made a career in bad movies and trash magazine headlines and can never be taken seriously goes up against Buscemi’s passive aggressive journalist who wishes he had another assignment – or at least he claims that, but probably doesn’t think it. As fate would have it, a second chance at the same interview presents itself thanks to the actresses’ kindness, or perhaps, her own insecurities with regard to her public image.
Void of redeeming values, they both play mind-fuck games, but the higher stakes come when a video camera is used as a spin the bottle device. Sexual attraction, deception, Freudian territory and mood swings further the interest of such characters – plus tangy dialogue and strong pronunciations of the F-word will cater to audiences who’ve are curious about the notion of celebrity.
Filmed almost entirely in a candle lit, wine drinking friendly loft, the inescapable terrain reminds of a den perfectly fitted for a grudge match between lions. Performance-wise, both actors play well off each other and thankfully the stoppages in play that occur because of this annoying replacement for a fade to black: a constant cell phone ring that sets up a couple of moments for the characters to play unfair.
Long takes allow for word exchanges au natural and the hand held POV makes for a fun spectator sport, Buscemi excels in detailing the two-way volley dialogue.
The first of three remake films dedicated to Van Gogh, this is perhaps not the most profound of the tales to come – but in a time where a photo of a star in a tight spot is worth millions, the examination of celebrity and our fascination with it should find several curious onlookers.
Reviewed at the Sundance Film Festival
January 23rd 2007.
