Bug

Kind of a mixture of Six Degrees of Separation and 13 Conversations About One Thing--but not nearly as good as either--this determinedly quirky comedy traces the random consequences arising from one man stepping on a bug, thereby setting off a chain reaction of events among a group of strangers in a middle-class Los Angeles suburb (e.g., a laborer nods off while operating a jackhammer because he stayed up late looking for his girlfriend's cat, which was hit by a car, which...well, you get the picture). The ubiquitous Brian Cox (X2, L.I.E, The Ring) is the only name actor in a capable cast which does its best in a low-budget indie with ideas enough for an extended comic skit (but not, unfortunately, for a full-length feature film). Kudos for the cleverly animated opening-credit sequence, though; it sets the right tone. Optional. (T. Rich)