Les (Steve Buscemi) is an amateur celebrity photographer who longs to get better shots that are worth more money. Yet, time and again, clubs and venues where stars may be eating or partying have bouncers. Bouncers that tell Les to get lost. One day, by chance, Les and a crowd of shutterbugs like him make an attempt to photograph a hot young singing star, K'Harma (Alison Lohman). No one gets much but Les meets an affable guy, Toby (Michael Pitt). Turns out Toby is homeless and has a vague inclination to be a movie star. On a whim, Les offers Toby a chance to bunk with him for the night. Once back at Les' small apartment, Toby starts cleaning up a few things, hoping to help Les for his graciousness. Les is a bit annoyed at that. But, the older man loves having the idea of an underling to lecture. Soon, every other phrase out of Les' mouth is "rule number one", as he gives Toby pointers about photography and life. One night turns into days and the two men hang out, even snagging a photo that sells on the Internet for $700! After this, Les drags Toby over to his aging parents house but its not clear why. The older folks are not impressed with Les' news of the 700 bucks and they are categorically critical and unpleasant. The two leave soon. Not long after, Toby actually MEETS K'Harma and she likes his looks. Soon they are hanging out. But, will Toby let Les capitalize on this great chance to photograph K'Harma and those around her? If he doesn't, how grateful is that? This film has truly great cast members who elevate the material. Buscemi is a stitch as his mantra of "rule number one" becomes an infinite number of rules. Pitt is adorable as the erstwhile actor while Lohman is comical, also, as the insecure star who wants "her own fragrance" and demands many things of her staff. All other matters are fine, costumes, sets, script and direction, but nothing out of the ordinary. Therefore, if you like Buscemi or any other cast member, do find it.

The ridiculous side of modern celebrity worship is profiled through the performance of Steve Buscemi as an overly aggressive photo journalist who stocks celebrities in hopes of getting his photos published in the hot magazines and making it out of the independent rank of paparazzi with little morality in getting their job done. One day he encounters the homeless Michael Pitt who somehow get into Buscemi's heart as well as his closet, obtaining a job as his unpaid assistant. It's Buscemi's goal to get a picture of Allison Lohman, the latest hot commodity, as well as anyone above the D list. Stalking the streets of New York like a celebrity vulture, Buscemi turns Pitt's life around, giving his character a bit more depth even if it's impossible to completely like him. Buscemi's performance as a basically nasty opportunist is hysterically funny, not because the character is funny but because it's fun to laugh at how ridiculous he is.

This gets a rating from me above a below average simply because it had me laughing on and off at the ridiculous obsession with celebrity and notoriety, and the lecherous people the entertainment industry attracts because of the obsession to be star kissers. Many of the characters that appear in this film are abhorrent, and it's repulsive to watch them go out of their way to get glory when they really have nothing to offer. It's a very sad scene when Lohman's handlers tell her that she is being sued by her parents whom she has dumped out of her life simply because they want a piece of her pie. But it's difficult to spend two hours watching basically amoral people living such vapid lives. Pitt shows promise as the young desperate kid Buscemi helps out and begins to resent when he finds success in the business. After an hour, I felt very depressed realizing that this is the society we live in and nothing changes but the headlines.

Toby Grace (Michael Pitt) is a homeless actor wannabe. Les Galantine (Steve Buscemi) is a paparazzi. While Les is waiting for pop diva K'harma Leeds (Allison Lohman),Toby helps K'harma get away. Later, Toby becomes Les' assistant and even friend. However when K'harma pretends that Toby is her hook-up, Les is blocked from backstage and is angered. Toby befriends K'harma and is invited to her birthday party. He brings Les along as a favor. At the party, Les starts taking pictures and they're both thrown out. Toby and Les breakup. Eventually Toby becomes famous and a jealous Les vows to kill him.

Steve Buscemi is too angry, too pathetic, and too annoying to watch. It's a silly Hollywood stereotype of the loner creepy paparazzi loser. Michael Pitt doesn't show the necessary star presence. He needs to be more than a pretty boy. Alison Lohman is even less believable as a pop star. It doesn't help that her songs sound so bad. It could have been interesting to have a dark ending but the movie force a happy ending anyways. Tom DiCillo delivers little more than a passable B-movie.