Here's Todd Solondz making me laugh at the cruelest things once again. I think this is a better, more ambitious effort than _Welcome to the Dollhouse_, even with a lot of the artistic traits carrying over. It's clear that he loves exploring the hidden tragedy of everyday life, deconstructing societal norms and performative behaviour. With this film in particular, all the vignettes add up to a study of dysfunctional individuals unable to find the happiness they're looking for. It's essentially _Magnolia_ for people with a messed up sense of humor. Solondz directing carries a lot of personality; often juxtaposing his dark themes with fun, upbeat music and satirizing the behaviour of his characters through brilliant acting and dialogue. It's quite an achievement how he gets every actor to deliver such perfect performances, given how specific the tone of the bigger piece is. Yet for as visionary as this film is as a whole, his camerawork and lighting continues to be bland. The sets and use of colour are slightly more interesting than _Welcome to the Dollhouse_, but a lot of this doesn't look much better than your average 90s sitcom. It's a shame, because I genuinely think it could've been a masterpiece with a sharper visual sense.

7.5/10