Alex Karpovsky’s Paul Harris is doing pretty well for himself. He’s got a stable job at a small research facility and even gets lucky with an attractive co-worker. Trouble is, Danielle (Jaime Ray Newman) prefers to leave it as a one-time fling whereas Paul is desperate for a serious relationship. Even when Danielle very clearly hits it off with a new employee, Paul won’t give up and his desperation for her approval and affection makes him increasingly unhinged.
Karpovsky pulls double duty, both directing and starring in “Rubberneck.” While the large majority of the film is rather mellow and focuses on Paul’s low-key life, Karpovsky still manages to create such a notably unnerving tone and protagonist, he winds up with an exceptionally suspenseful drama. But before Paul’s demons creep up on him to an unsettling extent, the poor guy is simply the lab geek trying to get his girl back from the office hotshot. Even worse? Paul isn’t particularly suave about the effort and it leads to wildly uncomfortable moments like the one in this exclusive clip from “Rubberneck.”
“Rubberneck” is currently available on VOD and will play theatrically alongside Karpovsky’s “Red Flag” at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center via Tribeca Film and the Film Society of Lincoln Center beginning Friday, February 22nd.