Living in Oblivion (1995)

Directed by Tom DiCillo. Starring Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, Dermot Mulroney, Danielle von Zerneck, James Le Gros, Kevin Corrigan, Robert Wightman, Peter Dinklage, Rica Martens, Matthew Grace. [R]

Low-budget film about the making of a low-budget film, cleverly split into three segments where the breaks not only reset perspective each time, but also provide a break from its inventory of on-set frustrations and calamities. Director Buscemi has to deal with actors’ egos and anxieties, a macho-sensitive cameraman (Mulroney), barely-competent gaffers and boom operators, and so on. Smart writing, precisely-tuned “shaggy” performances, and ingenious (and shifting) use of color and black & white help this one stand out from the 90s hipster-indie pack. Originally constructed as a short film (the first segment) before being expanded to feature length. Film debut for Dinklage, who has a funny rant where he complains about the cliché of using dwarf actors in dream sequences (any chance David Lynch watched this?).

80/100