The Technical Writer (2003)

Synopsis: "The Technical Writer" is the story of Merriman Jessup (Michael Harris), a man who hasn't ventured beyond the front door of his midtown Manhattan apartment building in years. Jessup dwells in a... "The Technical Writer" is the story of Merriman Jessup (Michael Harris), a man who hasn't ventured beyond the front door of his midtown Manhattan apartment building in years. Jessup dwells in a dark basement apartment and spends his waking hours in front of a glowing computer screen, where he relentlessly grinds out computer manuals for a living. His only human contact is with a handful of upstairs neighbors—bubbly Russian prostitutes Nasty (Oksana Lada) and Risa (Natalia Novikova), Johnny the doorman (John Lanzillotto), and Camille (Pamela Gordon), his confidante and only friend, who is bedridden and slowly dying. Jessup's reclusiveness comes under siege when a flashy married couple, Slim (Tatum O'Neal) and Joe (William Forsythe), move into the building's penthouse. A whirlwind of energy who pursue a lifestyle of extravagant decadence, the cosmopolitan pair invite Jessup to "join the party" on the roof. Predictably he shuns their overtures. So when Joe, a movie actor, is suddenly called overseas on a twomonth shoot, the couple decides that, while Joe is away, it would make an amusing project for Slim to see if she could seduce Jessup out of his seclusion. Slim is unrelenting in her attempts to get a response from Jessup. He is shocked by her curiosity and aggressive sexuality and does his best to keep her at arm's length. Jessup eventually succumbs to Slim's charm, which reawakens in him the desire for life, the open air, and—to his amazement—love. But his growing elation is abruptly crushed when Joe returns home earlier than expected. Slim, caught up in the heady rush of Jessup's startling metamorphosis, finds herself no longer certain where her loyalties lie. Jessup is left with the terrible choice of returning to his desperate isolation, or trying to maintain his tenuous grasp on the world with Slim. -- Official Site [More]

Starring: Michael Harris, Tatum O'Neal, William Forsythe, Pamela Gordon

Starring: Michael Harris, Tatum O'Neal, William Forsythe, Pamela Gordon, Natalia Novikova