Suburbanite Sprawled

"Lonesome Jim," directed by Steve Buscemi, captures the day-to-day boredom of suburbia superbly. Maybe too well. No, it's not boring, but that feeling of living in a nowhere town with nuttin' to do almost makes this film a depressive. The main character, played by Casey Affleck, isn't especially likable, but he seems so real that you don't begrudge him. Fortunately, a gentle humor to the hopelessness underlies the film and tempers the characters' down-and-out narcissism, so that you end up rooting for them.