Following in the footsteps of Lars von Trier and the Dogme 95 tradition of austerity, “Take Out” is a bare-bones account of a day in the life of an illegal Chinese immigrant. And though Sean Baker’s economical new film, which opens Friday at Quad Cinema, gets a lot of mileage from its realist style, its “vow of chastity” often seems necessitated by its budget constraints more than its artistic vision.

“Take Out” begins as Ming Ding (Charles Jang) receives an unwelcome wake-up call from two thugs sent by the smuggler who brought him to New York. After roughing Ming up, the thugs give him until the end of the day to return the money he has been lent at an exorbitant interest rate. He borrows most of the $800 from friends, but plans to make up the rest by doubling the tips he usually earns during a shift at the Chinese take-out restaurant where he works.

Filming in shaky digital frames, mostly during an actual shift at this shop, Mr. Baker (together with his co-director, Shih-Ching Tsou) has taken a stark departure from his work on IFC’s comedic puppet series, “Greg the Bunny.” From the slow-moving cockroach roaming up the wall of Ming’s apartment to the starting of the worn machinery at the restaurant, the directors pay close attention to the events that mostly go unnoticed in one of the marginal economies of New York City.

Entertainment and rest seem an unaffordable luxury in Ming’s world, and “Take Out” captures the minor and major struggles in his new city life. Mr. Jang’s still face is often expressionless and his thoughts hard to comprehend, but his minimalist reactions often pay off, especially in the film’s dissection of the transactions that occur behind the doors of city apartments.

As Ming traverses the city with his parcels, the ranges of reactions and interactions he has with the restaurant’s customers deliver some of the film’s best moments. The cast of “Take Out” includes a number of nonprofessional actors, and here it truly pays off. The cross section of classes and attitudes says a lot about an interchange that people rarely consider. And though the film’s dedication to the monotony of Ming’s life is thorough enough to leave “Take Out” teetering on the edge of oppressive cinematic experience, these moments in the hierarchy of urban existence are certainly worth a look.