This is an example of how to do a 'slice of life' series of stories - Altman is surely running in the genes of Seitz's script - and the key thing is that it's never boring or too dull. There may be some scenes that are more amusing or more insightful than others, but the director really captures this section of Brooklyn at a particular place and time. It's insular in a way, it's shot all on a shoe-string (not that it looks cheap, but you can tell that everyone pulled together and made this for the sake of the material first as it's mostly at the location of this apartment).
The people in this movie drift in and out of conversations, and are reflecting on how their current situations are, if they may find some better way to live or are happy with how things are (hint, many of them aren't, whether they come out and say it or not). There's some awkward humor but mostly it's about how the truth comes out in a conversation, naturally, with some hints of romance as well. But what helps is that there are no super-outwardly quirky characters, there's no one that stands out in such a way that is like "LOOK AT MEE!" It's a testament to how Seitz corrals his ensemble and edits smoothly between the different scenes and set pieces.
Will it get out there like other indie movies? Maybe not, and only because of the sad state of affairs that it usually takes 'names' for people to come to smaller movies like this that are based around the strength of just the script and "no-name" actors. Hopefully over time as MZS continues with being a great presence as editor on Roger Ebert's website and an author (Wes Anderson, Oliver Stone, Mad Men books), people come back to this nifty little movie that says a lot in a small piece of time.
