Bad Foundations

From Carr (Opioid, Indiana) comes an artful character study of a stupefied foundation inspector. Cook’s genius for knowing when a concrete slab is on its way down (“Every crack is a cause for concern”) does nothing to keep his own life from sinking further into the abyss. He is addicted to a synthetic cannabinoid called Delta-8 and struggling to make ends meet on the commission paid by his employer. Among his fellow inspectors and salespeople are Cowboy Dan, who proclaims about the “deeper magic” of their laser tools (“Set up your laser in enough crawls and you’ll start talking to the light. You’ll start seeing the ghosts of old crawl men moving in the dust motes”), and the often drunk Darby, who’s “just optimistic enough to drive [himself] crazy working for a better future. With sales in short supply, Cook helps another wayward coworker named Germ chase down leads in Ohio, where Cook is arrested for public intoxication. Carr has a nose for the underworld (Cook’s jail cell smells like “Metallica-concert urine”), and his dim view of America in decline is exacting (“It all breaks. Everything. Eventually,” Cook tells a client). This is blue-collar mayhem at its bleariest. Agent: Michale Mungiello, InkWell Management. (Jan.)