Swicord's movie is about the angst of a rigorously constructed and airtight suburban life...she arrives at an intricate mosaic style that accommodates both eloquent portraiture and deft tableaux.

Uneventful and dull to look at, the film adapts a short story by E.L. Doctorow that probably should have stayed on the page.

It isn't the dull midlife crisis movie it initially presents itself as. But it also doesn't do enough to lurch into more nightmarish territory.

Cranston is excellent in the central role, with Garner (who deserves a more vibrant career) offering solid support.