Actress hopefuls spin their wheels

The quirky Canadian dramedy “Dim the Fluorescents,” the feature directorial debut of Daniel Warth, who co-wrote the script with Miles Barstead, follows the story of two struggling Toronto actresses. Lillian (Naomi Skwarna), also a playwright, and Audrey (Claire Armstrong) are desperate for the spotlight and make the most of every opportunity to perform. They make ends meet by staging office role-playing training sessions, elevating their work to highbrow theater worthy of comparison to Mamet or Miller, delivering every line with the ferocity of a Tennessee Williams diva.

The central conceit is exceedingly clever, and there’s no shortage of entertainment to be found in the culture clash between these theater nerds and stodgy corporate middle management.

The friendship between the women, striving to achieve success but hamstrung by toxic professional jealousy, is the heart of the story, but the overlong film could really use a trim. The smart premise is muddled with far too many tangents — bumbling romances, rivalries with old classmates, troubled cats, precocious teens, angry dance sequences. When focusing on the central relationship, the film is at its best.

It builds to an operatic crescendo of rapturous acting but quickly flames out — and what was it all for? The solidification of a friendship between compelling characters, but with so many other distractions, the film loses sight of its ultimate goal. — Katie Walsh “Dim the Fluorescents.” Not rated. Running time: 2 hours, 7 minutes. Playing: AMC Universal CityWalk; opens Jan. 19, Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills.