One of the best ever made

Rating: 10/10 (15 June 2008)

Quite simply, this is a look at the dark side of the "American Dream". Does having a house in the suburbs, an office job, a couple of cars and a family make it all worth while? What happens when you've worked your entire life to achieve this dream and you're still unfulfilled?
This film is an unforgettable mix of character study, social commentary and dark comedy. The husband, bored with his wife and career, quits his stressful office job to work at the local fast food restaurant and lust after his daughter's underage cheerleader friend. His wife is ridiculously frustrated by her empty career in real estate and has been carrying on an affair of her own. Their daughter is terribly maladjusted and bored with her suburban upbringing. She becomes involved with the neighbor boy who can only be described as an anti-social loner with a penchant for dealing drugs. He's driven to this behavior by his cold, overbearing parents. The seemingly "straight shooter" ex-military neighbor is actually a closet homosexual. The casting, writing and direction is perfect. From top to bottom, the acting performances are perfect from this diverse cast.
Yes, this is a dark, disturbing group of characters and the humor is on the dark side as well. Maybe this film isn't for everyone, but it's wonderful for a viewer with a philosophical mind. This is a movie for anyone who has ever stopped in the middle of the rat race to the "American Dream" and wondered why they were really working so hard.