Entertainment

‘Supporting Characters’ review

Dan Schechter’s no-budget comedy about the romantic and professional travails of a pair of financially struggling film editors offers a few laughs, all served up on eyeball-gougingly ugly digital video.

Alex Karpovsky and Tarik Lowe play a longtime team struggling to patch together a problematic romantic comedy with minimal assistance from a temperamental director (Kevin Corrigan). The film’s producer has offered Karpovsky another gig, but only if he agrees to replace pal Lowe with an unpaid college intern.

Meanwhile, Karpovsky’s more upscale fiancée (Sophia Takal) is asking him to sign a prenup, even as he’s contemplating overtures from the sexy star (Arielle Kebbel) of the film they’re working on. Partner Lowe’s work, meanwhile, is suffering from his on-and-off relationship with Melonie Diaz.

Like so many mumblecore films, “Supporting Characters” feels like a rough draft missing much in the way of satisfyingly resolved dramatic conflict. Perhaps the biggest selling point comes when the ubiquitous Lena Dunham — Karpovsky also plays her boss on TV’s “Girls” — turns up for a cameo as a sound editor who’s openly contemptuous of the guys whining about their romantic problems.

For a more successful romantic comedy about a film editor, I’d seek out Albert Brooks’ “Modern Romance.”