Movies like Life During Wartime

Sam Mendes's American Beauty dissects the suburban American family, revealing dark secrets and desires beneath a facade of normalcy. It shares thematic elements with Life During Wartime in its satirical take on the pursuit of happiness.

Another Todd Solondz creation, Welcome to the Dollhouse follows an 11-year-old girl coping with cruelty in middle school and dysfunction at home, delivering a biting appraisal of social mores in a manner that resonates well with fans of Life During Wartime's exploration of flawed humanity.

Directed by Todd Solondz, who also helmed Life During Wartime, Happiness delves into the lives of three sisters and their respective searches for happiness, revealing the dark undercurrents of American suburban life. Fans of Life During Wartime will appreciate Solondz's unflinching examination of uncomfortable subjects and his signature dark humor.

Directed by Noah Baumbach, The Squid and the Whale is a poignant depiction of a dysfunctional family coping with the parents’ divorce, offering sharp dialogue and complex characters that will resonate with fans of Life During Wartime's darkly comic portrayal of family dynamics.

Storytelling is yet another entry in the Todd Solondz filmography, presenting two separate stories that satirize the nature of storytelling in contemporary life. Viewers who appreciate Solondz's brand of satire and commentary in Life During Wartime will find similar pleasures here.

Another Noah Baumbach film, Margot at the Wedding examines the fraught relations between estranged sisters and the impact of family secrets coming to light, aligning with the themes of interpersonal and familial struggle found in Life During Wartime.