Better Living Through Chemistry

A strait-laced pharmacist's uneventful life spirals out of control when he starts an affair with a trophy-wife customer who takes him on a joyride involving sex, drugs and possibly murder.

This film comes across as your standard indie comedy with a solid cast. Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell and Ray Liotta, to name a few. Maybe not quite A-list, but all well-established actors in their own right with plenty of talent. Through in a cameo by Ben Schwartz, who is definitely moving up in the world, and you have a strong ensemble.

The film is good, too, with plenty of subtle humor, of a dark nature, and just enough quirkiness to appease the target audience. Maybe not quite funny enough to recommend, but worth the time it takes to watch.

This movie strikes at some interesting subjects as a dramedy, but besides a couple of nice twists, it offers nothing to enjoy. It never really picks up a pace, hasn't got more than 2 or 3 funny moments, so basically it's like a very light drama. The main storyline featuring the protagonist, who learns how to stand up for himself, is not the most original one, but is written well, and would have worked well in a comedy with actual jokes. But this way it's more like a corny and shallow drama. The actors are doing a great job, especially Rockwell and Monaghan, but it's all for nothing. Basically this movie isn't satisfying as a comedy nor as a drama.

If you never start, you'll never finish. Makes sense, also if you don't break out, you'll stay imprisoned. Both those things do apply to our main hero here (played with much gusto by Sam Rockwell, whose presence alone elevates any and every movie). You also get Olivia Wilde who takes her last name literally ... well her character does.

For a "small" movie that is quite an impressive cast that assembles here and it does show on screen. There are a few things that might feel a bit cliché, but that can be attributed to once cynicism or the fact that one has watched too many movies (I'm mainly talking about myself here). But even through all this the movie has heart and does keep you guessing and rooting for the main (naive) guy ... Sam Rockwell can do that to you (the character he's playing).

Yeah, this is going to sound strange but this is the type of film you watch more so for the actors than for the actual plot or film. You'll watch this because you know it has Sam Rockwell and this is a comedy and he will be acting like a wild man in it. You'll watch this because you know it has Olivia Wilde in it and you still have a crush on her. No, this is not the funniest thing you're going to watch this year and it has hiccups and isn't perfect but it is fun, especially once it Rockwell's characters starts getting high off his own supply. 7/10 type of deal but I'm rounding up a point just to offset the main score a bit.

This film tells the story of a suburban pharmacist undergoing a midlife crisis. His life spirals out of control when he meets a beautiful female customer.

"Better Living Through Chemistry" spends an adequate amount of time building up a picture of Douglas' the unpleasant life. He is constantly undermined by his loved ones, and it does not feel great to be him. I feel for him, and I think Sam Rockwell does well in making me care for his character. Douglas' life changes quickly after Elizabeth arrives, some for the better and some for the worse. There is much food for thought, especially whether life is better through chemistry. The build up of the policeman plus DEA agent encounter is well done as well! It really got the character and me as well. I enjoy watching "Better Living Through Chemistry" a lot, as it gives people bits to chew on, reflecting on their own lives.