New York independent Joe Maggio has a thing for John Cassavetes: he brings his actors together to shape and reshape their characters long before the cameras roll, then shoots so quickly their interactions seem spontaneous. Also like his hero, Maggio has tried to create a little stock company for himself: the stars of his debut feature, Virgil Bliss (Clint Jordan and Kirsten Russell) are reunited here as an emotionally ill stockbroker and his fed up wife, each of whom sets off into the Manhattan night for a series of existential adventures. This 2003 drama suffers from a heavy narrative hand, as a series of ironic coincidences creates a tiny, hermetically sealed New York City, but the contrivances are overwhelmed by the intimacy and immediacy of the human encounters. 90 min. Facets Cinematheque.