are grotesque.Ciaran Hinds' portrayal of Bill Maplewood, the pedophile father originally played by Dylan Baker is superb, as is the rest of the cast. Of particular note is Paul Reubens as Jon Lovitz's ghost who appears to Joy Henderson played by Shirley Henderson : casting Pee-Wee Herman as a not-so tortured soul or possibly a manifestation of Joy's neurosis is an absolute stroke of genius on the director's part. Another standout is the always amazing Allison Janney, it is completely believable that the oh so perky Cynthia Stevenson would turn into this love-starved small-minded medicated woman after the events of "Happiness." This is not an easy, date movie. This director's films never are.

that this effort by Solondz was forced, like he didn't want to make this movie, if this effort was genuine than I apologize to him in advance for the following, this is not a very good movie. In closing, I probably won't watch this movie again, but that wont stop me from watching Todd Solondz's earlier, better movies. But don't let this review stop you from watching Life During Wartime, as I always say to each his own.

very few who actually try to express what the really feel. The great Todd Solondz did it again.

questions, he gives alternative answers and you walk out rather shaken.

to hear about pedophilia or about the sort of unhappy talk they hear in their own families hoisted up on the big screen. I admit I didn't really care for the 'ghost' sequences but they were certainly entertaining. The timing and subtlety really shines here, every actor was excellent. I really didn't know what would happen next-one of the big reasons I am a Solondz fan. That facet alone makes his films true to life. People call this a bad 'vanity project' but I disagree. I laughed out loud, I was shocked, amazed, and at the end of the last scene I was literally breathless.

of the best American actresses working today. Charlotte Rampling makes an appearance as a sort of escapee from an erotic nightmare and don't you dare ignore or let this film pass you by. Todd Solondz is a great, startling American poet.

in Middle America, middle class, in the suburbs. And one of the main characteristics of middle class everywhere, is that there are certain things you do not talk about. And this is just the way it is: YOU JUST DO NOT TALK ABOUT THEM. Those things could be your father being a paedophile, why do terrorists hate us, or a humongous picture of a young Palestinian throwing a stone at an Israeli tank hanging on the wall of a successfully Jewish writer.Basically, this movie and most of Todd's work is about a country that has made "Don't ask, don't tell" the motto of its every day life.

tactless exchanges . LDW is a smart film, it's true-to-life, and it has a lot to say about the nature of forgiveness. You'll see a lot of crying and people apologizing to each other. All of the characters are victims, in a one way or another, and are at with with themselves or with demons from their past. And each character has a different stance on forgiveness. The audience is left to wonder whether it's best to forgive and forget, forgive but never forget, forget but never forgive, or neither forget nor forgive ... Confused? So was I, but it's fun to discuss afterwards, and put the various characters views on forgiveness into place after the film--and how factors like religion and age interact with these views. Solondz also prompts us to consider the role of forgiveness in 9/11 and the war in the Middle East. In the end the only real complaint I had was that the film ended so suddenly. I hope we get to revisit these characters one last time. For now, I'm going back and watching Happiness which I haven't seen in 10 years, and will certain help fill in some gaps given that it focuses on the same family .