Image copyright © by Marcus Trahan

King of the Corner

(2004)

Produced, directed, written by, and starring Peter Riegert. Obviously a labor of love, and it’s quite a nice little trifle, sort of like the films Woody Allen used to make without quite so much angst. The hero, Leo, is basically having a mid-life crisis (ho-hum) but he doesn’t rant and rail about it. You’ll be reminded of Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman, but with a happier ending. The writing is good, and there are some first-rate actors in it. Best of all is Eric Bogosian as a free-lance rabbi who delivers a painfully honest eulogy that finally gets Leo to stand up and face some things about himself he’s put off for too long.