I would really like to see Todd Solondz produce something on the level of WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE or HAPPINESS again but I'm afraid that I'll just have to settle for watching those earlier works. To be fair, I don't know what he could have done with the characters from HAPPINESS that would have worked better. I revisited HAPPINESS before seeing LIFE DURING WARTIME to refresh my memory. That film crackles throughout with uneasiness. When we laugh, it's to release tension. It's not the cast's fault that this film lacks the same punch. While unrated in the US, my guess is that this would have received a PG-13 or an R for a few exposed breasts. HAPPINESS would have been NC-17 for sure. HAPPINESS was about getting whatever happiness one can no matter the cost to others. This is a film about forgiving and forgetting and moving on. I can certainly forgive Todd Solondz for what he tried to achieve here even as the film fades from memory.

A sort of sequel to Happiness(with most of the characters returning, albeit all recast, aged and... well, not matured), this picks up years after, and we see how Trish deals with the events of it, and meet Joy again(and she's taken a turn for the... stranger, now haunted by Andy, and otherwise not offering that much to this... don't get me started on Helen, who in a single scene merely reiterates her schtick from the original). Some of the scenes feel like they don't really need to be there, and sans credits, this is only 89 minutes long. With that said, this is still a nice piece by Solondz, and a decent "fix" for anyone else who enjoy his work. The philosophy this time deals with forgiveness, what is natural, why do some people do bad things(is it genetic), and comments on excessive fear(xeno- and homophobia) as being irrational. Humorous material focuses on the idea of "normal", nothing in this is ever idyllic in spite of the appearance of such, perversity, terrorism, and life in suburbia is yet again seen as being terrible. It's again black comedy, with snarky, harsh lines. The dialog is sharp and the acting is good. This comes off as very "real", the camera lets it all hang out. Shots sometimes last a while, and tension and awkwardness(intentional) arises from this(this is content more than presentation). There is a lot of overt sexuality, a little disturbing content and strong language as well as brief nudity in this. I recommend this to fans of Todd and indies in general. 7/10

It's a sorta sequel to director Todd Solondz's 1998 film Happiness and the Jordan sisters. The characters are recast. Joy Jordan (Shirley Henderson) marries Allen Mellencamp (Michael K. Williams) who makes obscene calls and she is haunted by Andy (Paul Reubens). Bill Maplewood (Ciarán Hinds) is let out of prison serving for child molestation. His ex-wife Trish Jordan (Allison Janney) has to deal with her son Timmy finding out about Bill's crime. Bill starts dating Jacqueline (Charlotte Rampling). Trish is set to marry 'normal' Harvey Wiener (Michael Lerner). Helen Jordan (Ally Sheedy) is a successful screenwriter in California.

Recasting everybody has the weird sense of an alternate universe. It makes this a weirdly unreal movie. I can't say that the actors are inferior but they are different. I'm not a big fan of Happiness and this doesn't change that. I can't find any rooting interest in any of these characters. Some are downright kill worthy. The discussion between Trish and Timmy is so pathetic that it's almost funny. At least, it was memorable.