Bartleby
Cult figure Crispin Glover lends his eerie presence toBartleby, a  modern adaptation of the classic short story "Bartleby the Scrivener" by  Herman Melville (author ofMoby Dick). The unnamed manager of a  public records firm (David Paymer), after receiving a commission from the  city government, hires a new clerk--an inarticulate man named Bartleby  (Glover), who proves to be an efficient filer. But gradually, Bartleby  begins to withdraw from the world, first refusing to do additional tasks,  then finally refusing to do any work at all--yet due to Bartleby's utterly  passive means of refusal (he simply says, "I would prefer not to"), the  manager feels incapable of firing him. The movie inconsistently captures  the subtle tone of Melville's story, but at its bestBartlebybecomes quietly mesmerizing and unsettling. Also featuring Glenne Headley,  Seymour Cassel, Maury Chaykin, and Joe Piscopo.--Bret Fetzer