One of the most captivating factors in Mutual Appreciation's success has been its skillful portrayal of the twenty-something generation in a way that is both ramblingly true to itself and dramatically compelling - a very tough combination. While Bujalski's promising first feature, Funny Ha Ha, fell just short of meeting that challenge, Mutual's characters are so likeable and its situations so recognizable, that it emerges as an unqualified, landmark success.

For all its well deserved, exultant critical attention, Mutual was unable to find an appropriate traditional distributor and will take the tack of Funny Ha Ha, which developed a devoted audience through self-distribution.

Mutual Appreciation opens in New York on September 1, followed by Los Angeles on September 8, with a staggered national release to follow. When I reached Andrew Bujalski by phone, he was in Chicago, working "on a friend's film" - which, as you'll see, adds a slight meta layer to our conversation.