Scattershot 'Delirious' peppers the entertainment industry

'Delirious' -- 3 stars (out of 4)

Writer-director Tom DiCillo takes the same approach to his films as he has to his career: There's a general theme, but the execution is all over the place. A former cinematographer for Jim Jarmusch (on "Permanent Vacation" and "Stranger Than Paradise"), DiCillo spent eight years trying to make it as an actor, then started writing and directing funny, sometimes scathing, but always scattershot films that channeled his experiences, such as "The Real Blonde" and "Living In Oblivion." His new "Delirious" is similarly focused on the entertainment industry, and similarly wandering: It's a comedy about friendship, a satire about fame, a tragedy, a romance and even, briefly, a thriller. Inevitably, in trying to do everything at once, DiCillo overreaches, but in spite of the off-tone moments and thematic distractions, "Delirious" is engaging, intelligent and enjoyable.