Writer/director Sean Meehan's deceptively straightforward Waste of Space is a subtle and beautifully constructed film based upon a fairly simple premise, that of an attempted burglary foiled by Duncan (Jacob Sherburne) having left multiple bottles along his entryway that cause the burglar, Jimmy (John Pizzuti), to stumble and knock himself out.

What happens next is neither unnecessarily dramatic nor utterly absurd, perhaps the thing that makes Waste of Space such a jewel. To give too much away would be a shame, but rest assured that the film's light, casual pace is deceptive and the secret of the film lies in its subtlety, little moments and unspoken cues. Jacob Sherburne is perfectly cast as Duncan, a young professional whose seemingly bumbling ways conceal the fullness of who he is, a fullness that gets slowly revealed and makes the character linger long past the closing credits. As the prospective burglar, John Pizzuti wisely avoids any sense of true menace despite Meehan's rather ambiguous script that leaves you constantly direction which direction he's going next. The film's climactic reveal is one as powerful for what is not said as it is for what actually is said. Katie Cummings and Phillip Berry do a fine job as supporting players, complementing the film's quiet humanity quite nicely.

Production quality is top notch, with D.P. Matt Laud offering terrific lensing and Sam Karachi serving up a stellar original score. Meehan has a knack for authentic dialogue, taking what might seem to be an absurd situation and allowing it to unfold naturally and believably.