Movies in Brief: Expired

If anyone can earn sympathy for the plight of the meter maid, it's Samantha Morton. In "Expired," which opens Friday at the Angelika Film Center, Ms. Morton stars as Claire, an introverted but sweet meter maid who struggles with the guilt of working in one of the world's most hated professions.

Written and directed by Cecilia Miniucchi, "Expired" explores the relationship between two lonely parking officers in downtown Los Angeles. Claire (Ms. Morton) lives with her sick, mute mother (Terri Garr). Her excessively passive, trusting demeanor seems to be at odds with both her job description and her desire to find a husband. When she meets Jay (Jason Patric), a masochistic parking officer in her department, the two begin a stilted, wavering interaction.

Jay is attracted to Claire for her kindness. Claire appears to be a sucker for flowers — as well as such charmers as, "Thanks for dinner ... I'll probably call you." As Jay's feelings for Claire swing between affection and disdain, Claire's desperation for male contact tends toward the pathological. But Ms. Morton imbues Claire with an ambiguous charm that flirts with sensuality, while Mr. Patric plays his porn-addicted antagonist with seething intensity. As Jay accosts Claire emotionally and physically, it's unclear if things will or should ever work out between them. Either way, it's hard to look away from these two.

Bouncing between Claire's platitudes and Jay's aggression, Ms. Miniuchi's film finds art in the mundane interactions of Claire's life. And though some of the tragicomic elements veer into the saccharine, it's hard not to root for Ms. Miniuchi's sweet protagonist.