Better Living Through Chemistry

"Better Living Through Chemistry" (2014 release; 92 min.) brings the story of Doug Varney (played by Sam Rockwell), who is stuck in an unhappy marriage, and who has just bought the pharmacy from his father- in-law. One evening, Doug is making house deliveries of prescriptions, and one of those deliveries is to a McMansion, where the doorbell is answered by Elizabeth, a beautiful yet bored and unhappy housewife (played by Olivia Wilde). It's not long before Doug and Elizabeth hit it off, setting Doug on a path of personal discovery. In a parallel story, Doug is dealing with his 12 year old son who is going through a tough stretch himself. To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

I just love this film, I had to purchase it on iTunes a few years ago!!! It has everything you need-sex, drugs,(legal), sex, funny characters, I "highly" recommend this movie. Plus Olivia Wilde is a big part in this with the very very good actor Sam Rockwell!!

Nothing new here, just rehashing plots that are centuries old. That might work if the characters are interesting - or even likable. In this case the main characters and actors are fairly unlikable, and everybody just seems to be going through the motions. Those on the periphery promise a little more entertainment but they're very much bit-part players. In the main, what we get is just dull, uninspired, uninteresting, unoriginal, mediocre quality writing and acting. Please take my advice and don't waste precious moments of your life on mindless drivel like this.

Review: This is a average movie about a pharmacist who gets high on his own supply after falling for a lonely woman in his neighbourhood. The script was put together will and there loads of twists and turns near the end, but it wasn't anything amazing. I'm quite a fan of Sam Rockwell, who puts in a good performance in this movie, but I was hoping for something that was a bit more interesting. It seemed to jump from one extreme to another, with the help of Jane Fonda who narrates through the whole film. On a whole, the storyline does lose some substance in the middle, but it's a watchable movie that is easily forgotten. Not Bad! Round-Up: Sam Rockwell's career really does have its ups and downs. From Iron Man 2 to Moon and the disappointing Cowboys & Aliens, he really does like to mix up his choice of roles which shows how versatile his acting style is. He was great in the Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy & Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind, but they seemed like roles that were tailored made for him. Anyway, Ray Liotta & Fane Fonda are all over the poster for this film, but they are only in a couple of scenes. You get to see a different side to Oliver Wilde and Michelle Mohaghan which was refreshing, but the movie just seemed like it was made for TV. Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: $75,000 I recommend this movie to people who are into there comedy/romance dramas about a pharmacist who gets high on his own supply. 4/10

I mean, wheel barrows have little round things on the bottom, and so do riding mowers. I've used a surveyor's wheel to measure a 10K course for REAL racers. At one time I had a red wagon (though I think it may have rusted out). Teamsters use all manner of dollies to move freight. Guys are pulling their campers around to catch more shade all the time, and you sometimes see people maneuvering their boat trailers by hand at the landings. Most of the larger outdoor grills are on wheels nowadays, as is much of the business luggage rolling through our airports. Many large office machines, such as copiers, and kitchen appliances (refrigerators, for example) come with their own set of built-in wheels; ditto antique desks and china cabinets. When is the last time you've observed people "racing" any of the wheeled objects on the above list? Bicycles were invented to make it more relaxing to circle a park on a weekend afternoon. Though that drug-crazed Texas sociopath Lance Armstrong has tried to spoil all of that, it's time for bikers to return to their roots. The main character of BETTER LIVING THROUGH CHEMISTRY, pharmacist "Doug Varney" (played by Sam Rockwell), almost lets himself get sucked down Armstrong's brimstone path, concocting a bike racing drug more effective than any Lance used. However, Doug eventually comes to his senses before it's too late, and eradicates the bike crazies from his life to ACTUALLY achieve "better living."

This romantic comedy was extraordinary. The plot twists were not clichéd. Sam Rockwell and Olivia Wilde were fantastic. Just a pure gold acting performance. Ray Liotta acting as a nice guy was quite odd to watch, but also exciting, he really did the job well. And the whole acting crew in general did not mess up in general, very entertaining. I really enjoyed my time watching the movie. And maybe would like to re-watch it again in the future(which I practically never do). If you are looking for a cheerful, fascinating time,the suggestion is, watch the movie. I would recommend this movie for anyone. Thumbs up! If it is possible that somebody from the movie crew is reading this, then, thank you for the ecstatic 91 minutes.

It takes a while to build some steam, but there are bright spots. The story doesn't make a great deal of sense, but the setting is beautiful and the story unfolds in an intimate way that got me invested in Sam Rockwell's character. Ray Liotta is a plus and Ron Heneghan is excellent as the police officer. Rockwell and Heneghan in the school classroom is a marvelous piece of writing and acting, perhaps the movie's best moment. Ken Howard adds some heft as the father-in-law, but Michele Monaghan is disappointing as Rockwell's wife. Her character is shallow and she never grabs the audience one way or the other. I found Jane Fonda's narration to be choppy, but Sam Rockwell is engaging and inspiring. Definitely worth seeing.

Protagonist is a positive person, which is an under-heel-guy, doing everything to please his wife and her parents. Very common situation. In some moment another woman pushes him in right direction to change: to become a free-spirit person and start taking care about himself. Of course, it was not a very healthy way - meaning there were some drugs involved. But again, the situation shown is quite truthful: if we want good changes - sometimes it's not possible to do EVERYTHING right all the way, agree? Of course, there are some lucky coincidences which help our main character to come out clean from all the problems finally. But once more: haven't you ever had situations in your life, when you are very close to get into troubles when trying to make things better and finally as a reward for all your trials you are saved in some magic way? :) All in all, this movie is very positive. It let you dream when watching it, but easily gets you back to reality when it ends. With pleasant thoughts.

Loved your review of Better living Through Chemistry. Yes, always, movies, as with music, are subjective and highly dependent upon the watcher/listener, but very often when someone has taken the time to be specific and concise, as you have done, it really does save many of us the time and trouble of bothering with something 'ordinary'...and for me, this is how this movie seems it would be as a watching experience. I love Rockwell's work, and as you rightly state, he has done some superb stuff over the years with a lot more to follow, lets hope. Love True Detective to bits, where so many are stand-outs......and it seems that this could have been taken to a place where it was a lot more than it is, had it only been scripted well enough. The very best actors and talent can only do so much with a poorly crafted script....I have seen the likes of Di Niro in some woeful stuff in recent years, and many other classic performers who sometimes just take the money and do as asked in a dull performance. So this really (apologies ahead of time here) is less a review than a thanks to the reviewer, who has done such a great job of saving me a lot of time, and I know this is one to pass upon without doubt. On to bigger and better things....thanks again for a stand-out review of this movie.....it is very much welcomed!

Another to add to the list of recent films about grown folks you just don't want to grow up. Here again you have a guy who seemingly has it all: career, home and family but it just is not enough. I mean, so what if you have a wife, kids, RESPONSIBILITY. There is a whole world out there just waiting for you and after all, it is YOUR happiness that counts. If YOU cannot be happy, then how can you make anyone else happy? So of course your kid, who is desperately crying out for help (and a father figure) will be "better off" if you abandon the family home to "find yourself." And cheating on your wife, well, that's cool too because, well, just because it is, damn it! And considering murdering your mistress' husband so the two of you can run off together is cool too. Again, never mind you have a 12- year old son in crisis mode. So, you allow yourself to become addicted to drugs because that is what your mistress likes and it does make sex so much more fun, particularly if you are a pharmacist who can whip things up right in the lab. But then, just as easily you apparently kick your drug habit and allow some other schmuck to take the rap for your felonious drug crimes. All a bunch of tripe that I suppose somebody can identify with or rather, too bad so many people probably will identify with.