Virgil Bliss

Born loser Virgil hasn't exactly had a life that's lived up to his surname. As this gritty, intimate, and unaffected low-budget drama opens, the rough-edged guy who really wants to go straight is living in a Brooklyn halfway house. Working as a janitor before he's released for failing to reveal his prison record, Virgil meets up with a cheap prostitute, whom he persuades to take him in for a stab at some semblance of domestic life. In his film debut, Clint Jordan is a real discovery as the well-intentioned but fatefully driven Virgil, while Kirsten Russell is similarly impressive as the dope-addled hooker torn between the promise Virgil offers and an impulse to just take his meager money. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Joe Maggio, the three-minute Sundance Channel featurette “Afterthought,” text bio for Maggio, and text production notes. Bottom line: a small but decent extras package for a solid indie film.] (T. Rich)