The Interview

Steve Buscemi co-writes, directs and stars in this claustrophobic character study about two people with "trust" issues - a remake of the 2003 Dutch movie by the late Theo Van Gogh. Buscemi plays a jaded war journalist who is assigned an interview with a flaky soap star (Sienna Miller). He's initially unenthusiastic and struggles to get any sense out of her, but when alcohol and drugs are thrown into the mix, secrets are soon spilled that threaten to end both their careers. It's a stagey set-up that relies heavily on a series of contrivances, but the interplay between the actors is compelling. Both the characters are practised in the art of manipulation and it makes for an intriguing power struggle. It's just a shame that Buscemi opts for a gimmicky twist that's easy to see coming and adds nothing to the story. Still, if you can check your disbelief at the door, this drama will leave you with something to talk about.