Interview: Grade B

B
Interview (2007)
Steve Buscemi, Sienna Miller. Co-writer and Director: Steve Buscemi.
Buscemi is a political reporter assigned, to his great chagrin, to interview an American soap opera star (Miller). 99% of the movie takes place in her apartment where they exchange insults, eat, drink, smoke, answer the phone, fail to answer the door, snort coke, put on coats, take off coats, talk some more, stand, sit, pace, lie down, etc. It is a very setbound one act play that reminds me of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (with lesser actors). It would do well in any community theater. Still, for all these failings, the script is witty and sharp, and both actors give excellent performances. I was never bored even while I was aware of the director’s desperate attempts to keep it moving. The two characters learn more about each other and seem to form a relationship that may or may not be genuine. It all seemed plausible and I was absorbed into the characters. This is a case where outstanding acting saved what could easily have been a disaster project. The movie is a remake of murdered Dutch director Theo Van Gogh’s 2003 film of the same name.