Delirious

Forgotten director Tom DeCillo has synchronised his recent return to the cinema radar with a return to the themes that gained him recognition in the first place. Before he disappeared behind the B-grade curtain for a few years, DeCillo directed a quirky little independent film about independent filmmaking, called Lost in Oblivion. In his latest release, Delirious, sees the director once again cast a satirical eye over the movie industry, but this time he has climbed up the budget ladder to peer directly into Hollywood, examining Hollywood’s notorious celebrity culture and the very notion of fame. Michael Pitt (Last Days ,The Dreamers) dons his usual five o’clock shadow and slightly dazed look to play Toby Grace, an optimistic homeless youth driven by a vague desire to become an actor. After a coincidental meeting, he ends up living in the squalid apartment of a paparazzi photographer/self-appointed philosopher, Les, (played by Steve Buscemi). DeCillo actually wrote this role with Buscemi in mind (after Buscemi starred in a number of his past films, including Lost in Oblivion), and the actor slides flawlessly into the shoes of this worn-down professional, who actually lacks all the connections and experience that he frequently boasts about.

Flicking randomly from comedy to drama, Delirious is pleasantly unpredictable. One moment you’re being hit with a powerful character insight, and the next you’re laughing at a cunning satire of star publicity. The increasing intensity of Les and Toby’s relationship is balanced nicely by the more comedic plot developments, including Toby’s with the talentless starlet K’harma, and later his role on a hilarious reality TV show. Vice versa, the light-heartedness of these developments serves to increase the impact of the film’s more powerful serious moments, like when we see Les disintegrate into a bumbling mess in front of Elvis Costello or Toby painfully make sacrifices in the hope of winning Les’s approval. While it may not really bring anything new to the sheer wealth of celebrity culture themed films, Delirious is eccentric and entertaining enough to warrant a look. With an appropriately rough, grungy cinematograph, a strong soundtrack and a clever marketing campaign (look up “Gina Gershon Sex Tape” in YouTube), the film heralds a promising future for DeCillo.

Rating: 7.0