Living in Oblivion

I’ll give it this, it’s unique. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie quite like this. Ostensibly about the attempts to shoot a scene on the set of an indie film, Living In Oblivion is both a satire and a tribute to indie filmmaking. From the pompous cinematographer who thinks he’s making Schindler’s List to the egomaniac actor to the actor who can’t stop second-guessing themselves to the anxiety-stricken director that feels like the whole world is upon them, this is as inside-baseball as a movie gets about making movies. There is a certain something fascinating about it, especially how the movie is literally a three-act structure, with each half hour being the filming of one specific scene. The acting here is probably the best part, as Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, and Dermot Mulroney lead the cast, and all of them do a fabulous job. Buscemi plays the beleaguered director who just can’t seem to get a single shot, and constantly feels the weight of the world on his shoulders, as the film is his baby. Mulroney is the pretentious, know-it-all DP, constantly contradicting Buscemi’s ideas for shot composition. And Keener is the MVP, playing an actress who has a very low opinion of herself. Keener had the challenge of acting like an actor who isn’t sure of their acting and is afraid to go all-in because of their self-doubt. There’s levels to that kind of performance, and Keener — who I think has never been as big a star as she should be — is marvelous. Easily the best thing about this movie. I think the movie may be a little too insider, though. Not everybody cares about the minutiae of filmmaking. It might be hilarious to filmmakers, but to the average person, the humor is sparse and dry. And the movie uses the “it was a dream” thing not once but twice, but then seems to acknowledge certain things having happened as real. I hate “it was a dream” with a passion, but then to take some plot elements from things you thought were a dream and make them real within the context of the movie is just confusing. It detracts from the movie. This is a hard movie to recommend, solely on the basis of being so insider, its natural appeal is limited. I was amused and the performances carried it for me in spite of going to the worst narrative trope well twice, but I can easily see most people being bored by it. You have to not only love movies, but have an interest in the behind the camera aspects of film. Otherwise, this could be a dull 90 minutes spent watching nothing happen.