Todd Solondz is perhaps best known for his 1998 feature: Happiness, to which Life During Wartime is a temporalised sequel. Dealing mainly with the theme of forgiveness, Solondz tones down the confrontational style of his previous films for a more ponderous, perhaps more sincere, contemplation of life post-trauma. The result is a more understated, but undeniably powerful, progression on the issues already raised. Life During Wartime is Solondz’s least aggressive film to date, replacing the indignation of previous outings (Storytelling, most memorably) with a quiet sincerity of purpose. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though found it lacking in comparison to his back-catalogue. Solondz is at his best when poking at the exposed nerves of the American, conservative mentality – Life During Wartime is an honest but largely apolitical film, to its detriment, I believe.
Words: Oisin Murphy
