INTERVIEW

US, 2007, 83 minutes, Colour.
Steve Buscemi, Sienna Miller.
Directed by Steve Buscemi.

Interview is one of three films based on original Dutch films written and directed by the murdered director Theo van Gogh. The other two films were directed by Stanley Tucci and Bob Baliban.

Interview is a two-hander, strongly played by Steve Buscemi and Sienna Miller (Factory Girl).

The interview is between a political journalist who is down on his luck and assigned to have dinner with a celebrity actress, prominent for gossip about her and her appearing in horror films. The film is a battle of wits between the two. The political journalist expresses exasperation at having to interview the celebrity. The celebrity is at first playful, then critical, then resorts to drug-taking.

As the evening progresses, and the journalist is hurt in an accident and looked after by the celebrity, they interact in her house. She asks provocative questions, he is more interested in what is going on in Washington. At the end, when there is a certain sympathy for the journalist as he talks about his relationship with his wife and his responsibility for her death, we find that he has been manipulating the actress. On the other hand, she wins out in the end, with a phone call and a switching of tapes.

The film is interesting in its presentation of journalism, the world of celebrities, the edge in the rat-race – and the public which goes along with this kind of celebrity journalism.

1.An interesting two-hander? Character delineation, interactions, verbal repartee? Each besting the other?

2.The Dutch origins of the film, the adaptation to the United States?

3.The brevity of the running time? Restaurants, streets, the taxi, the apartment? The musical score?

4.Editing and pace, use of close-ups, the circling camera for the interactions between the two? The confrontations?

5.The response to journalists, to celebrities, to celebrity interviews, to the psychological games, to the psychological interaction, to inventing the truth, mutual trickery, secrets?

6.The background of American politics, political scandals, investigative journalism, indictments? The editor, Pierre and his discussions on the phone, the role of journalists? TV celebrities on politics? Jealousies?

7.The strength of the dialogue? Sharp, ironic, the insults, apologies, pathos, vindictive, performance, games?

8.Steve Buscemi as Pierre, wanting to go to Washington, DC, the hour for the interview, the phone call to the editor, not knowing anything about the celebrity’s films, the gossip about her reputation, talk about her breasts etc? Her arrival and the changing tables in the restaurant, the drink, his non-professionalism and her walking out?

9.The taxi, the driver calling out to Katya, ogling her, the crash, Pierre injured, the blood, Katya taking him home and looking after him?

10.Katya and her image, her television program, her horror films, magazine stories, lovers, her boyfriend and talking to him on the phone, the rehearsals at the opening, the kiss, talking with Maggie on the phone?

11.Pierre and his eking out the information, the discussions about men and sexuality, kisses, Katya’s reputation? The decision to tape the discussion? Katya on the phone, telling Pierre to Google, his reading her diary? Her boyfriend knocking on the door and her ignoring him, the explanation on the phone? Discussion about love and not loving? Drugs and depression? Her taking drugs, offering them to Pierre, his comments?

12.The father-daughter dependency, her discussions about her father, Pierre’s story about his daughter and the drug overdose, his being away working?

13.The deal, the agreement, her talking about her cancer on the tape?

14.His part of the deal, his confession about his wife, their clashes, allowing her to die?

15.Both being tired after discussion, finishing? The audience trying to gauge the characters? Sympathies, lack of sympathy? Moods?

16.Each of them changing the tapes?

17.Pierre ringing his editor and revealing that Katya had cancer?

18.Katya ringing him, pointing out that he had read her script rather than any reality? Her taking the tape?

19.Besting each other? Winners and losers?