It's the Steve Buscemi film festival at Sundance this year and that is a very fine thing.
In "Delirious" Buscemi plays Les Galantine, a paparazzo of the sleaziest sort. He is approached by homeless wannabe actor Toby Grace (Michael Pitt) while he and his fellow celebrity photographers are staked out waiting for pop diva K'harma (Alison Lohman) and her slimy boyfriend.
Les doesn't really befriend Toby so much as decide to tolerate him and makes him his unpaid assistant, though there are a place to sleep, food and free head shots for Toby in the deal.
Buscemi plays almost the opposite of his character Pierre Peters in "Interview" the serious political reporter who hates celebrity "news" and paparazzi. Les loves his work and not much else in his life. His parents are unpleasant people who disapprove of his career and he only has slightly more than contemptuous tolerance for his fellow photographers - who seem to like him despite himself.
Toby becomes the only friend Les has, though the friendship is shaken when Toby and K'harama hook up by chance.
This is a really good story about friendship and celebrity. I was worried that it was going to turn dark but it manages to stay a comedy by focusing on one of the many "rule number one"s in the movie: "Friends is friends."
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