Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- sardonic
- uneasy
- irreverent
- dark comedy night
- indie film night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an uneven and underdeveloped dark comedy, despite appealing performances from its cast.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Douglas moves from an uneventful pharmacy career and struggling marriage toward dangerous, impulsive behavior after meeting Elizabeth.
The small-town pharmacist's respectable life gives way to infidelity, intoxication, and an attempt to kill Jack Roberts.
Douglas's occupation as a pharmacist and the film's dark-comedy premise connect drugs with his attempt to escape emotional monotony.
Douglas abruptly becomes more assertive, wins a bike race, wakes up drunk, and makes increasingly reckless choices.
Films like Better Living Through Chemistry, and why
American Beauty
darkly comic portrait of suburban dissatisfaction, reckless desire, and self-destructive reinvention
The Ice Harvest
blackly humorous suburban drama about frustrated adults pursuing transgressive escape
The Casualties of Love
offbeat comedy-drama centered on marital stagnation, infidelity, and impulsive transformation
Movie Details
- Directors
- Geoff Moore, David Posamentier
- Release Date
- 2014-03-14
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (328)
Cast
- Sam Rockwell
- Michelle Monaghan
- Olivia Wilde
- Jane Fonda
- Ray Liotta
- Norbert Leo Butz
- Ben Schwartz
- Ken Howard
- Jenn Harris
- Harrison Holzer
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Better Living Through Chemistry about?
- A bored small-town pharmacist discovers that chemical confidence can make his stagnant life thrilling, dangerous, and morally chaotic.
- What is Better Living Through Chemistry like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Better Living Through Chemistry as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Better Living Through Chemistry violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Better Living Through Chemistry as mild.
- What did critics think of Better Living Through Chemistry?
- Critics broadly found the film an uneven and underdeveloped dark comedy, despite appealing performances from its cast.
- Which films are like Better Living Through Chemistry?
- Films with a similar feel include American Beauty, The Ice Harvest, and The Casualties of Love.
- How long is Better Living Through Chemistry?
- Better Living Through Chemistry runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch Better Living Through Chemistry?
- In United States, Better Living Through Chemistry is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
