Weekly Review -- Fame and fortune, anyone?

I Love Your Work (2003) -- Films about the perils of celebrity and hype can fall under one of two categories: sharp satires like Woody Allen's 1998 gem Celebrity or intellectual(ized) ruminations on the meaning of fame like Phil Joanou's underrated Entropy. Adam Goldberg's I Love Your Work falls somewhere in between, but also bites off more than it can chew on occasion. Hip Hollywood It boy Gray Evans (Giovanni Ribisi) has a lot on his plate. The tabloids are slaughtering his relationship with starlet wife Mia Lang (Franka Potente); the superficiality of the business is getting to him, making him question his choices and integrity; and, to top it all off, he has to contend with a stalker (Jason Lee). Throughout the proceedings, he cannot seems to let go of the one that got away, Shana (Christina Ricci), as the doomed relationship starts seeping into every aspect of his life. Soon, his empty existence starts disintegrating and every second starts teetering between fantasy and reality. The writing and acting are the film's strong points, as is Goldberg's directing. The film is very effective when it turns its mocking eye toward the commercialized movie business; I loved the metaphorical zoo and paparazzi scenes. However, the exploration of topics such as God and humanity is unnecessary and unfinished. There does not appear to be enough time to cram these concepts in, so they end up as merely mentioned for the sake of pretentiousness. Ribisi is appropriately confused and occasionally disturbed as Gray, while Potente radiates jaded bitterness as Mia. Jason Lee's performance is a pleasant surprise, with his slacker film persona serving him well in the role of an obsessed individual. The flashback sequences are inventively filmed, surprising the viewer at each turn and with every revelation. I Love Your Work is an imaginative study on the pitfalls of fame, epitomizing that old "Be careful what you wish for" adage. Be careful, indeed.

7/10