Late Night Shopping

Imagine Trainspotting without all the death, drugs, and unpleasantness, and you'll have an idea of what to expect from Late Night Shopping, a sly, energetic Scottish comedy about four friends whose lives consist of graveyard shifts in dead-end jobs and quirky, tenuous relationships with the opposite sex. What makes this modest, amiable comedy work is the excellent casting of the four friends and the casual ways they relate to each other even when they're making one another miserable, such as when Vincent (James Lance) sleeps with the girlfriend of Sean (Luke de Woolfson), or when Lenny (Enzo Cilenti) struggles with confidence issues while Jody (Kate Ashfield) serves as mediator even as she copes with her own perpetual loneliness. Like Slackers and Swingers (to which it has been favorably compared), Late Night Shopping is all about conversation in smoky cafes and knowing that your best pals will be there when you need them. A fine, enjoyable slice-of-life, filmmaker Saul Metzstein's indie sleeper is recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a lively commentary track by director Saul Metzstein and screenwriter Jack Lothian. Bottom line: a small extras package for a small but winning film.] (J. Shannon)