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Delirious (2006) More at IMDbPro »

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25 out of 30 people found the following comment useful :-
Solid Indie Comedy-Drama with Heart, 19 January 2007

Author: sundevil27 from Salt Lake City, UT USA

Just got back from the premiere screening at Sundance for Delirious and after the screening I felt like I'd picked a winner. What you get with this movie is a very solid performance from Michael Pitt who plays Toby a homeless kid in his early 20s that through a chance encounter finds a friend in struggling paparazzi Len played by a on fire Steve Bescumi. The movie follows Toby across a wide range of changes in his life that puts a strain on his relationship with Les and questions how far apart are those in front of the camera from those behind it. Micheal Pitt really breaks out here playing the role of Toby with a very natural wide eyed enthusiasm that wins over the audience from the beginning. Steve Buscemi tears it up in this role, as the edgy Les he perfectly portrays a loner who deeply wants to be something more then the despised paparazzi that he is. Some nice performances from Gina Gershon and Alison Lohman round out the cast.

I felt entertained and satisfied by the end of the movie, however film takes a a misguided turn at one point and I could fell most everyone in the audience thought it was regretful on the directors part and felt out of place in the movie. In the end though the film still works, unfortunate plot twist aside, you've got quality acting, fresh cinema and a excellent soundtrack that adds up to a solid experience.

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23 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
Captivating!, 1 February 2007

Author: fuglyloser from United States

Delirious was excellent! I had the opportunity to catch the last showing at the Sundance Film Festival. The show was completely captivating. The storyline was very entertaining and the cast was completely lovable. Alison Lohman was brilliant. I highly recommend this movie if you enjoy character based comedies or if you have ever had an obsession. Character development is what makes this film so great. Tom DiCillo does an incredible job of thrusting you into these character's lives. Opinions of the characters change periodically throughout the show as you get to know them. When the plot begins to unfold, the story seems to be very predictable. However, you will be pleasantly surprised with a handful of unexpected circumstances. This film is easily one of the most entertaining at Sundance this year. I can't wait to add it to my personal collection.

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12 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Putting innocence in harm's way and not regretting it, 3 May 2008

Author: socrates99 from Champaign, IL

Saw this on the big screen at this year's Ebertfest and the entire audience was unexpectedly touched by its skillfully rendered vision of a kinder, gentler Hollywood, one we probably only half know. The movie revolves around the two main leads, Steve Buscemi as the paparazzi Les Galantine, and Michael Pitt as the homeless innocent, Toby Grace. Probably the more impressive performance is Buscemi's who you can believe might have wanted to pass on this low budget indie. That would have been a great error as, for my money, this is his most memorable role by far.

Mr Buscemi easily captures your attention and holds it throughout the film, not that Les is the most admirable of people. He's often barely tolerable and unduly self-absorbed at the most inopportune moments in complete contrast to his wannabe assistant, Toby. Michael Pitt plays Toby with affection as though he wishes his real-life counterparts well. And then there's Alison Lohman as the rising young fan magnet, K'Harma Leeds, and Gina Gershon as the publicist and agent, Dana. All the leads are played extremely well and are peculiarly memorable. But it took a little bit of magic to have brought all these players together with an entertaining script and actually pull it off. And the credit has to go to Tom DiCillo who obviously has the knack. Here's hoping he make's more films along this line.

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15 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
Sharp writing, excellent acting, 3 September 2007

Author: azeffer from Florida

Delirius has perhaps done the impossible. That is manage to blend equal parts cynicism and fantasy. These opposite qualities work off one another and result in a gem of a movie.

The smart observations of the celebrity industry are right on the mark. Yet the movie doesn't drown in satire. Human touches are smoothly interwoven into the plot. Most noteworthy is a scene when Steve Buscemi is desperately trying to attain approval from his sterile, rather nasty old parents. Also a standout moment is the scene that takes place at Kharma's hotel, when she first brings Toby there. It is amusing to see Buscemi's character Les become unraveled at Toby's success. Somehow the ending seemed so right, again showing hope and the good side of human nature among the muck of a mercenary, dog-eat-dog world.

The cast is excellent and the acting superb. This is a little cinematic treasure that deserves some recognition.

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15 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
Phenomenal, 10 August 2007

Author: idil-ozdemir from New York, United States

Delirious is different, genuine, alive, funny and as close to real life miracle as it gets! This movie is so deep (in a very entertaining way), you feel as if you just read a classical novel; instead of the silly flicks we all are so accustomed to see these days. Steve Buscemi's captivating performance, Michael Pitt's innocent yet noble attitude, Gina Gerswin, Allison and Callie's brilliant and lovable performances just drags you into the movie, where you feel a connection with most, if not all of the leads...

It is not a fast paced action movie, it will not make you sit on the edge of your seat throughout, but you will feel enriched when you leave. Tom Dicillo has outdone himself (and certainly many others)! We all need more movies like Delirious.

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5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Cute, sweet fantasy, 11 April 2008

Author: sioenroux from United States

I love Michael Pitt, which is the main reason I gave this a chance. I'm glad I did, because it was a sweet, very light romantic comedy with a fantasy-type touch.

Some of the scenes of Pitt are astonishingly beautiful, and the story, although straightforward and predictable, takes a backseat to the storytelling... lush, frothy and warm.

I'm not as gushing as some of the other commenters, mostly because some of the dialogue was stilted and a few of the scenes fell flat (especially the more "personal" moments between Steve Buscemi and Pitt), but all in all, this is a light-hearted romance that leaves you feeling good inside.

Shouldn't we want that from movies sometimes?

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
one of the movies of the year, 2 November 2008

Author: (tottenhamtillidie@gmail.com) from sacramento, ca

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

just 8 reviews, 6.6 out of 10, this movie is an undiscovered gem, it does annoy me how great indie flicks like this get no air time and no publicity while some mainstream mediocre guff will stay in theaters for weeks because its from a better studio or better distribution rights were obtained.

rant over. steve buscemi is back to his best as the irascible, selfish maverick wannabe photographer who takes homeless michael pitt in and gives him board and lodging and attitude in return for some free "assistant"work. Great directing from Tom DiCillo gives their relationship a real "odd couple" situation with great drama infused with some genuinely funny scenes. Unintentionally while "working" with buscemi, pitt meets casting agent Gina Gershon (who it has to be said looks unbelievable for 46) and pop star/love interest alison lohman. What makes the movie is the way the story follows Pitt's innocent progression up the celebrity ladder while at the same time chronicles Buscemi's growing jealousy and despair at having lost his only true friend and his antagonism that he (very indirectly) helped him acquire this new found fame and fortune. Great cast who all worked well with each other, great suspense at the end and a good parody of the whole celebrity industry, currently on starz, don't miss it!

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Hang in for the ending!!!, 19 September 2009

Author: hnballet (hnballet@aol.com) from Texas

Calling all Steve Buscemi fans! I started watching this movie on cable quite by accident. In the opening scene I thought I recognized a friend of mine in a minor role and while waiting for him to reappear and see if it was in fact him I found myself captivated with this brilliant little indie until the end. Steve Buscemi is one of the best, and most interesting, American actors today. (Check him out in his early role as Nick in "Parting Glances" from 1985.) He elevates the level of every movie he does. Although, this film doesn't need any help from him. It's good. REALLY good. It is a character study. And as with most character studies the characters studied are somewhat unpleasant and maybe not very sympathetic. But in this movie they are well worth taking a closer look at.

Les Galantine (Steve Buscemi) is the dregs of the paparazzi. He lives in a crap hole apartment in a bad neighborhood and the only thing worse than the neighborhood he lives in is the inside of his apartment. He has horrible parents whom he still visits and has attachments to. And when we see the three of them together it is very sad. A homeless guy named Toby (Michael Pitt) weasels his way into Les's life, and his crap hole apartment, and is eventually promoted from non-rent-paying roommate who sleeps in the closet to paparazzi's assistant. Had enough yet? There's more. Wait until K'Harma Leeds, pop diva, shows up with her entourage. At one point we see her sitting before a Magnus Chord Organ, (like the one I got for Christmas in 1974), composing her next hit. When we later see her perform it at a music awards show we realize what a joke it was that she agonized over whether to use the word "searching" or "looking" because her ONLY talent is that she lip syncs and dances like a stripper, i.e. a pop diva.

The relationship between Les Galantine and Toby is the centerpiece of the story. Les is needy and repulsive all at the same time. He perspires desperation and fear of abandonment. Toby, goes with the flow. And the flow eventually takes him from homeless guy, to pop diva hanger oner, to star of his own really really bad TV show called "Toby" where he plays a homeless serial killer, named Toby. And just a quick reminder here, his name in real life is Toby. This show is so bad they couldn't even be bothered to imagine a different name for the main character so they just used the name of it's "star". His rise to stardom, his romantic intrigues, and his "go with the flow" style of living, are all expertly written as commentary on the vapid lives and personalities of people who are famous for being famous. The writing and directing, by Tom Dicillo, is witty, poignant, and surgical in it's precision. There is not a wasted word or moment anywhere.

Steve Buscemi is great in everything he does. He is brilliant in "Delirious" . Michael Pitt plays Toby with a warmth and sympathy that makes the process of getting a closer look at those around him tolerable. Honestly, I don't think I'm in the "Michael Pitt demographic", and I've never really gotten him as an actor, until this film. He expertly ties all the disparate elements of these characters, Les Galantine, the talentless pop diva (Allison Lohman), the casting agent (Gina Gershon) and their stories, together in a very compelling performance. I have way big respect for him now...

It is not explicitly spelled out but I would like to go on record here to say that I think Les Galantine is gay and in love with Toby. And although that's not central to the story line it does inform us, somewhat, about this sad injured creature. Steve Buscemi, as Les Galantine, is hard to watch and hard to pull away from from beginning to end. That's talent. Equal credit has to go to the writer/director Tom Dicillo. The story, sometimes mocking, sometimes tender, is written and executed perfectly. The pace is perfect. When it's done you don't even know where the time went. If you like well made, interesting movies, with gobs of talent from beginning to end, watch this one. The ending will surprise you, and the journey is well worth it no matter what. By the way, my friend was not in this movie, and the character I thought he was playing never showed up again...

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A sweet, incredible story, 23 October 2009

Author: catfish-er from Orlando, Florida

I saw delirious on Showtime the other night; and, I really liked it. It was really late at night; but, I love Steve Buscemi as an actor; and, had to see it, as he got top billing! Steve Buscemi was great in Reservoir Dogs, Fargo, Trees Lounge, The Saprano's; and, even G-force. I really have to give him credit on this one too. He is absolutely passionate within the role of a semi-successful Paparazzi, who takes unstaged photographs of the famous, or nearly famous.

His character, Les, is not the most admirable or likable person. In fact, he is often self-absorbed, spouting off his philosophical beliefs to his assistant, Toby (played incredibly by Michael Pitt). However, it's Les' quirks that have the greatest impact on Toby, when he obtains some form of stardom, as he often quotes Les in terms of his feelings and beliefs. Alison Lohman plays K'Harma, and does a great job.

The twist at the end, which is heightened by the tension between Les and Toby was great. This movie could have been a tragedy; but, it ended up being a sweet, incredible story about relationships and romance.

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0 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Almost a sad drama, 16 October 2009

Author: Enchorde from Sweden

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Recap: Les Galantine is a wannabe photographer that makes do by selling the odd picture as a paparazzi. One day his path crosses the one of Toby Grace, a homeless young man that tries to find his place in the world. Toby becomes Les' unpaid assistant, working for a place to sleep, food and with a dream to become an actor one day. But for now he follows Les around hunting for celebrity photos, and one day his eyes meet the eyes of young pop diva K'Harma. Without meeting they seem to have a connection, one that may put Toby's friendship with Les in jeopardy.

Comments: Classified as Comedy/Drama Delirious is more drama than comedy. It's more about trust and friendship than jokes. It is a bit satirical about the paparazzi – celebrity symbiosis and provides a few odd scenes that makes you smile, but most it is almost a sad movie about how people can live in the middle of a great city and be so completely alone. Without any real connections to anybody else, without any real friends.

Once again Steve Buscemi gives a stellar performance even if this is not his best. Buscemi is to me one of the most underrated actors out there. However it is a shame that his character in Delirious, Les Galantine, is a pretty sad one. Les is egoistic and has big problems with trusting anyone else and letting someone in close. His character is very much not especially funny. Unfortunately. Buscemi has the talent to give his character a much more comic aspect, but I don't think that that was the idea here.

Pitt is also good as the naïve and confirmation seeking Toby. He has dreams but his humble situation makes him thankful for anything that comes his way. His journey is the longest and reaches from almost the deepest low to the highest point on the status ladder, and he has not always an easy time to handle that change. The conflicts that arise between him and Les is interesting.

It is a good movie, especially if you don't expect a wacky one from the outset. Good cast and an interesting story. But in my opinion this is one that will soon become lost and forgotten in the sea of movies.

6/10

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