I Love Your Work

I saw this film at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival.

Giovanni Ribisi is a movie star living what I hope is a caricature of a movie star's life (although in Hollywood, there seems to be no such thing as a caricature). He's becoming paranoid, seeing stalkers everywhere and suspecting his movie-star wife of infidelity (with Elvis Costello, no less). Then he meets a fan who seems so normal, and proceeds to screw up this man's life, all the while descending into some sort of madness, and flashing back to a time in his life when he seemed to have normalcy and real love. This film is a bit of a mess, actually. Lots of flashbacks and movie stars portraying movie stars portraying movie stars. It got a bit too "meta" at times, and the narrative was muddled. There was also an ambiguity about the whole fame thing, which is not very new, and frankly, hard for an audience to sympathize with.

I love movies and hate the movie business. So, apparently, does Adam Goldberg. So how come I didn't like this more?

(7/10)

P.S. Before the screening, I saw Giovanni Ribisi walking down the lineup filming the crowd with his camcorder. In addition to Ribisi and director Adam Goldberg, Franka Potente, Christina Ricci, and Shalom Harlow were also at the screening. Of course, after seeing the caustic way in which fans (and stars) are portrayed in the film, it would be just about impossible to say anything to any of them, even if you could get close.

I was hooked into this movie after watching it for 5 minutes. Goldberg captures the movie- obsessed college kid existence very well (or at least, the whimsical movie-inspired lives that film students aspire to) with respect to Gray's past. Ribisi gives a gripping performance here, he's riveting as the insulated film star with artistic aspirations who slowly looses his grip on reality. What surprised me is Goldberg's talent as a director. He's really really good, got a great visual sense, but the overall structure of this movie reminded me of Mulholland Drive, similar to that movie, I left this one a bit confused. (though less so than MD, and with much more good will). Goldberg sends up the 400 blows, and a Jaques Demy musical, as well as self-conscious arty films, in the film within a film within a hallucination structure. Jason Lee is great & and creepy performance as a stalker. Franka Potente is funny, and it's great seeing her in a bigger role again. Elvis Costello has a hilarious cameo. I'd strongly recommend this, but you may want to see it a couple of times. It's a cool experiment, and I liked all the smoking, decor, and camera product placement.

This film is what I fear a complete "own opinion" seeking movie. In my humble opinion the movie tries to hard to be and give you that "Arty" feeling. In the beginning it all seems to turn out to be nice and successful although it will turn out after about 30 min into "boring" and "too much" of it! A kinda OD effect. The over and over arty editing, special camera tricks and angles are slow and keep away the "drive", "speed", "tempo" a movie needs to keep your thoughts an interest locked onto the screen. All these special arty things don't do any credit onto the movie but have more the opposite effect which will arise. In my opinion though it's such a movie that needs each and everyone personal individual opinion. Some will love it and some will hate it. Best thing to do is have a go and make up your own idea. I know this isn't much of a help but that's just the way it is. I hate the movie but I can't assure that somebody else possible likes it. I wouldn't recommend the movie, that's the only thing I know for sure. For me the movie wasn't a huge success, I even hit the skip forward button after about 45 min to shorten the suffer of a slow movie before it becomes utterly boring and annoying. It's a pity after all of the fact that one of my fav "new generation" actresses plays into this flick. "Christina Ricci" she's one of those actresses who has a strong personality and knows how to cash in this ability. She has the power and knowledge just that perfect of how to carry her character as a complete movie! Even with all this credit onto her résumé she couldn't prevent that she looses total control on her character as the film itself in this case. A good attempt of the director as the actors but for me personal? "NOPE"!

4 outa 10 Dario/

I saw I Love Your Work at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival. The film has a great cast and each one does some solid acting. The plot follows an actor who slowly spirals into madness because he cannot deal with his celebrity status. Ribisi and Pontente are especially good as a Hollywood couple, but the film drags on a bit too long and we never get a good understanding of the main characters and the motivation behind their decisions. Judging by the the discussions I heard at the end of the film, I was not the only person who felt this way. Aside from the acting of the two main stars, I Love Your Work is not that noteworthy.

I wouldn't call "I Love Your Work" terrible, but I would agree that it doesn't really go anywhere. Portraying director Gray Evans (Giovanni Ribisi) descending into madness and desperation, I guess that the movie is supposed to be a look at the unpleasant situations inherent in the Hollywood lifestyle, but the whole thing is too confusing to logically make that point. Ribisi, plus Christina Ricci, Jason Lee, Franka Potente and Vince Vaughn (and even Elvis Costello as himself) do the best that they can, but there's not really enough to work with. For a better look at the vicissitudes of the celebrity life, check out Carl Reiner's "The Comic", starring Dick Van Dyke.