Review of Living in Oblivion (1995) by Berlend C — 04 Dec 2007
Cut! Tito. Didn't feel like laughing, did ya?
Well... It's... Ummmm... Hmmmm... I think... I don't know.
The Story: A chaotic day on the set of a no-budget film... That's about it. It takes place throughout the course of filming three scenes, only two of which are real... I think... It's a little confusing, and may warrant a second viewing if you can take it. It's not that it's bad, it's just that it doesn't go anywhere and it's got no real story. Like Four Rooms, it's just a lot of chaos, making this one yet another love it or hate it film. One thing to be said about this film though is that it isn't without style. Within' the first forty minutes of the film, you'll see 4 distinct styles ranging from scratchy black and white to vibrant colors. While the film goes virtually nowhere in it's hour and a half, it does have an interesting if not eccentric sense of humor, a dwarf in a dream sequence, a cocky actor, a pretentious cinematographer, a self conscious actress, an overwhelmed director, and a crazy mother who's somehow managed to wander onto the set only after claiming the ability to walk through solid objects... And more.
The Cast: Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, Dermot Mulroney, James LeGros... Steve Buscemi is Nick Reve, the director. His world is falling apart with every take. He gives a good performance and it's always nice to see him in a leading role, but this isn't his best work *cough*Ghost World*cough*... Catherine Keener is Nicole Springer, the actress. She gives a great performance, but as with Buscemi this is far from her greatest role. Dermot Mulroney is Wolf, the cinematographer. He's got problems of his own, one of the more humorous characters to be found here, he could easily steal the show if there was a show to actually steal. A great (if not cheesy) performance from him. James LeGros is Chad Palomino, the actor. Trying to "get the creative juices flowing" in more than one way. He gives a good performance, but he's the most unlikable character here and you'll only see him for little bit.
One to Five Scale: 3.
Not bad if you know what you're getting into, fans of Buscemi will love his performance, but others should definitely rent first and buy later.
Tyler.
This review of Living in Oblivion (1995) was written by Berlend C on 04 Dec 2007.
Living in Oblivion has generally received very positive reviews.
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