Living in Oblivion

Pick #914

Living in Oblivion

Dir. Tom DiCillo · United States of America · English

This snarky take on indie filmmaking features some familiar faces

7.5 Our score

1995 Movie Comedy, Drama

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Our take

A young Steve Buscemi leads this wry farce about a calamitous film set where nothing goes right. The sardonic script skewers the ins and outs of low budget film production and the various personalities on set from belligerent directors, pretentious cinematographers, and egotistic actors. 

A playful three-act structure and trips into dream sequences keep things light, while a strong supporting cast, including a cheeky appearance by Peter Dinklage and the fantastic Catherine Keener, gives the film the backbone it needs. 

Streaming arrival

  • Fubo
  • Kanopy
  • Tubi
  • The Roku Channel
  • Peacock
  • Crackle
  • Prime Video
  • Pluto TV
  • The Criterion Channel

What it won

Awards

Berlin

1 nom

Nominated: Official Selection

Spirit Awards

3 noms

Nominated: Best FeatureNominated: Best ScreenplayNominated: Best Supporting Male

Sundance

2 wins

Won: U.S. Grand Jury Prize: DramaticWon: Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic

The story

What happens

Low-budget independent filmmaker Nick Reve tries to keep everything together as his production is plagued with an insecure actress, a megalomaniac star, a pretentious beret-wearing director of photography, and lousy catering.

Elsewhere

What the critics said

Notable Critics

"Slight but smart, and it doesn't overstay its welcome."

— Anthony Lane

The details

About this pick

Year
1995
Type
Movie
Director
Tom DiCillo
Cast
Catherine Keener, Danielle von Zerneck, Dermot Mulroney, Steve Buscemi
Language
English
Country
United States of America
Rated
R

Who picked it

About the author

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