The pleasure in this layered slice of life in modern Dublin is not in plot surprises or gimmicks but rather in the fresh, inventive fleshing out of unmistakably real feelings that come to most of us when we're not looking. It concerns those little intermissions when we are waiting or hoping for the next act. The ensemble cast and lively direction by John Crowley opens a window onto the lives of several loosely connected characters. In a curious way that could easily seem contrived but somehow does not, through their reactions to events, some highly dramatized, the characters are allowed to reflect and see themselves underneath the drama. Some are fast learners, some are not.

A strong screenplay by Mark O'Rowe captures the unsteady balance between the conflicting forces of self-interest and desire for connection. The dozen or so personalities range from the kind and timid to the lunatic and deranged. The latter is played by Colin Farrell ("Phone Booth") as sociopath Lehiff, who can turn on the charm, then turn on a dime with brutality toward the object of his flirtations. He’s got a special place of contempt on the list of the local tough cop, Jerry (Colm Meany, "The Commitments"), who is determined to prove the significance of his own life. Other linked scenarios involve Deirdre and John, a couple trying to sort out their relationship, Sam, the married banker Deirdre has a fling with who has left his wife. His wife, Noeleen, in turn, seeks someone to help her nurse her wounds, and finds him in Oscar, John’s best friend. The overlapping stories also involve Deirdre’s sister, Sally (Shirley Henderson "Topsy Turvey"), her mother (Ger Ryan), a couple of bus drivers in need of extra money, and John’s overbearing boss. It's an unusual blend of quick changes that orbits around Deirdre and John but it’s difficult to pinpoint where the circle begins or ends.

Crowley and O’Rowe catch a sample of the multitude of small moments that fall between the infrequent, weighty ones to which we usually give so much importance. A montage scene that cycles from person to person and glimpses the solitude of the soul is well worth watching. These are people ruled to varying degrees by their longing, their loneliness, their impulsiveness, or simply their will to get by, one day at a time. They allow us space to consider, while at the same time maintaining a brisk pace that moves dynamically from one episode to the next.

"Intermission" is reminiscent of "Short Cuts" and "Magnolia" in structure, but specifically Irish and specific to this cast of characters, each one struggling to find a life that works. The first-time film director’s stage background is evident in the presence of a spontaneous theatrical quality. With a finish that manages to be upbeat without a shred of sentimentally, we leave the players with threads trailing into the future, perhaps a little wiser. The gifted, versatile cast and well-chosen songs accentuate the action ("I Fought the Law and the Law Won").