The underground man is an
anti-hero par excellence, a lonely, alienated, nameless civil servant engaged in a meaningless, demeaning job as inspector in the Building Dept. A typical bureaucrat, he takes pleasure in tormenting architects and contractors who seek his office’s approval for their plans. Shunned and despised by his friends he is determined to set things right by imposing himself on them, but the harder he tries the more embarrassing and humiliating the results are.

The underground man is a bundle of contradictions: he resents his social inferiority, yet whenever possible flaunts his sense of intellectual superiority. His two cherished qualities are pride and spite and to protect them he puts himself through situations that always backfire.

He pursues a delicate, problematic relationship with Liza, a young prostitute he meets in a brothel. While directing his vengeful anger at the innocent woman and sadistically toying with her emotions he’s also genuinely interested in rescuing her.

Running time
88 minutes

Starring
Henry Czerny
Sheryl Lee
Jon Favreau

Written and directed by
Gary Walklow

Produced by
Frank Gruber
Chris Beckham
Alicia Dollard

Official selection:
Sundance Film Festival