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Interview (R)





Release Date: July 13th, 2007 (Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and Landmark Sunshine Cinemas) by Sony Pictures Classics.
The Cast: Steve Buscemi, Sienna Miller.
Directed by Steve Buscemi.

BASIC PREMISE: When Pierre (Steve Buscemi), a political journalist, interviews Katya (Miller), a sexy actress, they end up in her apartment where their relationship heats up. Based on the 2003 film by Theo van Gogh.

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: Interview could have easily been a play given that it takes place in mostly in Katya’s New York apartment and has so much dialogue with two characters. As the film opens, Pierre reluctantly interviews Katya at a restaurant and she abruptly walks out when she realizes his incompetence. She witnesses him getting slightly injured in a cab and, soon enough, tends his wounds up in her posh New York apartment. Just when he thought that he lost his chance to complete his assignment, he now has a second chance to get some juicy details from this sexy celebrity who he’s not even vaguely familiar with. The second act has drama that gradually becomes intense as the two continue to talk with one another—in a way, Katya also interviews Pierre. Co-writer/director Steve Buscemi wisely allows the drama to come from character development and includes sharp, biting dialogue with some comic relief every now-and-then. Nothing happens plot-wise that’s particularly imaginative, with the exception of a plot twist or two, yet it still remains compelling thanks to Katya and Pierre’s chemistry and complexity as characters. There’s more to them than meets the eye and it’s fascinating to watch as secrets from both of their lives gradually come out. To top it all off, Sienna Miller shows an impressive range in acting ability here with her raw, sizzling performance, just like in Factory Girl.

SPIRITUAL VALUE: Irving Goffman, a sociologist, once claimed that people have a “front stage” life, where they put on a performance that’s quite theatrical in many ways, and a “back stage” life, where they get to be more of real selves. Pierre gets a rare glimpse of Latya’s “back stage” life here, but it still has some remnants of her “front stage” life—in other words, she can be deceiving. The scenes when Pierre listens to her reveal her inner thoughts, which she has buried within her for too long, feel very emotionally cleansing for her and poignant for the viewer.

INSULT TO YOUR INTELLIGENCE: None.

NUMBER OF TIMES I CHECKED MY WATCH: 0

IN A NUTSHELL: Funny, compelling and surprisingly poignant. A wise, revelatory and timely film about fame, fortune and the media. Sienna Miller sizzles. One of Steve Buscemi's finest works to date.

RECOMMENDED WAY TO WATCH: Movie Theater


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