Either over edited or poorly written from the start, leaving a really pointless story that is an entertaining enough cat and mouse game to get your attention, but takes it nowhere.
Both Buscemi and Miller do great jobs acting, and it would be fair to say Buscemi did a great job directing. But the story...
Unless the point of the story is that actresses and journalists think more clearly and sharply as they drink, smoke, and snort more, there is no point. The only other possibility is to provide an extended product placement piece for odd cigarette lighters.
So I'm guessing that there was an assumption made somewhere that should have been explicit and developed in the film or a key part got edited out post-production.
Both Buscemi and Miller do great jobs acting, and it would be fair to say Buscemi did a great job directing. But the story...
Unless the point of the story is that actresses and journalists think more clearly and sharply as they drink, smoke, and snort more, there is no point. The only other possibility is to provide an extended product placement piece for odd cigarette lighters.
So I'm guessing that there was an assumption made somewhere that should have been explicit and developed in the film or a key part got edited out post-production.