Roberta

Running time: N/A

Many people want to help those who are less fortunate, but how many would take a person off the streets and into their own home? Jonathan (Kevin Corrigan) is a lonely Manhattan yuppie with a deep-seated liberal guilt about being a child of privilege. When one day he spots a prostitute who he believes to be the daughter of a maid his father had mistreated, he decides to take her in and teach her the skills necessary to join the work force. However, Roberta is no Julia Roberts hooker with a heart of gold, but a woman with a deep cynicism and an unfeeling spirit. The more callous Roberta acts, the more obsessive Jonathan becomes in his desire to help her become respectable. He quits his job, alienates his girlfriend, and sacrifices his best friend's finances in his quest. With Roberta's vicious pimp seeking retribution, it is only a matter of time before Jonathan snaps. Often cast as a lovable slacker, Kevin Corrigan (Walking and Talking) is startling in his depiction of the dark side of altruism. Roberta is a modern tale of obsession and guilt that challenges the audience by showing the behavior rather than explaining it. --Meredith H. Sherter