'Living In Oblivion (1995)' almost plays out like three short films back-to-back, each of which charts the various mishaps that befall the cast and crew of an independent feature as they just try to get through the scene at hand. Anything that can go wrong does go wrong, from booms dipping into shot to egotistical actors constantly moving their mark. As will be evident to anyone who's had any experience on a film set of any size, this hits the nail on the head when it comes to the stresses of moviemaking. To anyone not directly invested in the success of the production, these setbacks can be really funny. If you're the one, though, there usually isn't time to appreciate the humour of the situation. It's a real 'if you don't laugh, you'll cry' situation. That's where this movie succeeds. It balances anxiety with comedy and makes you want to see its characters succeed while still enjoying the intricacies of their failures. It's basically a train wreck in slow motion, with each of its segments focusing on a different scenario and playing with alternate aspects of the process. It sharply satirises the industry without feeling smug and is really entertaining overall. It's also rather subversive, keeping you guessing as to just what's going to go wrong next. It's a funny, pacy and well-performed piece that knows what it's doing and does it well. It proves that sometimes making art really is a nightmare.
Review of Living in Oblivion
