“Rent-A-Pal” (***1/2 out of four) was a wrenching psychodrama set in 1990 about a lonely middle-ager (Brian Landis Folkins) who lives at home taking care of his dying mother (Kathleen Brady); he then joins a video-dating service and takes home the tape of the title video friend (Will Wheaton) but soon finds he is addicted to this and finds it has completely taken over his life, even when he finally meets a girl (Amy Rutledge) he is in love with. Intense, moving story is brilliantly realized in the vein of early David Lynch and David Cronenbergh; unfortunately it gets a little too cerebral and weird in its final third which may turn some off. Still, it’s a definite original and a very impressive directorial debut for writer/director Jon Stevenson and a strong showcase for the powerful acting of Folkins and Rutledge.