Grenier turns the lens around in 'Paparazzo' (Adrian Grenier, 2010)

I didn’t have high expectations for “Teenage Paparazzo,” the new documentary by actor Adrian Grenier of “Entourage” fame.

I’m usually suspicious of celebrity vanity projects to begin with, and the subject matter of this film -- a cocky kid out ‘til 3 or 4 a.m. stalking celebrities in L.A. with a camera – didn’t sound all that appealing.

But I was surprised in a good way by this movie. Not just by the storytelling and legitimate documentary style, but by Grenier’s honesty throughout.

The story focuses on then 14-year-old Austin Visschedyk. Grenier encounters the teen one late night in Los Angeles and is astounded to find him ensconced within a gang of much older Paparazzi photographers, staking out a celebrity hotspot.

Grenier becomes fascinated by the idea of someone so young doing such a grown-up job -- not to mention wondering how the heck he pulls it off on a school night -- and decides to turn the lens around and film a documentary about Visschedyk.

At first, the fast-talking, slick and not that likable kid is all for the project. The idea of hanging out with a bonafide celebrity and getting a little bit of his own fame seems to sit pretty well with him.

Visschedyk reminded me of a child star who has spent too much time around adults at a young age, and therefore grown up too fast, and without the necessary life lessons. He swears like a trucker, talks back to his parents and basically whines about almost everything.

At one point he suggests he isn’t all that happy about the arrangement with Grenier, but doesn’t want to say what’s really bothering him.

Grenier pushes him on it.

“Well, I thought you were going to, you know, like, let me know where you were going to be and stuff.”

That isn’t part of Grenier’s plan. He seems to want to take as journalistic of an approach as possible, and isn’t keen on setting up celebrity photo shoots just to keep the spoiled kid happy.

Instead Grenier wants to follow Visschedyk as he works, and interview other Paparazzi members, celebrities and Visschedyk’s parents to try and put together a film about how celebrity and society interact and how it’s possible for this kid to do what he does.

But between the tension this causes between Visschedyk and other photographers, the fact the kid begins to simply get bored with Grenier’s artistic endeavour, and rising media interest in the kid-phenom, their relationship begins to break down.

Visschedyk stops returning Grenier’s calls, fails to show up to a meeting or two, and gets tangled up with another copycat project, where a father is shooting a documentary about his alleged Paparazzo son.

It’s interesting to see how Grenier handles the change in their relationship. He gets genuinely stressed. He’s put time, effort and money into the project, and he’s desperate to save it.

On the other hand, he admits that his interest in Visschedyk is the main catalyst for the problems they are experiencing. The kid has become a bit of a star in his own right as major media picked up on the story after getting word that Grenier was making a film about Visschedyk.

While getting too involved with a story can be the kiss of death for many documentarians and journalists, it actually makes this story more interesting. Halfway through, the whole direction changes and Grenier has to roll with it and make it work.

“I’d like to be, you know, famous,” Visschedyk says at one point, admitting he doesn’t necessarily want to be a famous photographer, but more that like Paris Hilton, whom he has photographed and gotten to know – he just wants to be famous for being famous.

Grenier admits he’s created a monster and doesn’t quite know what to do about it.

The image of a rich and famous celebrity struggling to get his way, is in start contrast to the life of Grenier’s ‘Vince’ role on "Entourage," and is one really refreshing aspect of the film.

Grenier manages to save his film though, by taking more drastic measures that Visschedyk can live with, picking up a camera himself and joining the ranks of the Paparazzi himself, to see how they work and live.

The film ends with a touching scene where Grenier and Visschedyk seem to get real with each other – something that may not be easy for either of them to do, given their careers – and agree to chart a different path with their relationship.

A post-script update on Visschedyk also helps take the edge off and allows the audience to warm up a little more to this really annoying but talented, dedicated photographer, who is, after all, just a kid.