this film do not have the outstanding visuals that american beauty or the ice storm offer and because it be make after those film and it can not be mark a very original either represent the music and though subtly brilliant and sound very much like that of american beauty . the story have some similarity with the ice storm in particular ( as well a sigourney weaver ) . without intent perhaps and the film seem to try to recreate the success of the two aforementioned movie too much . at time and the story tend to stay a bit more shallow than it big and more successful brother by have too much go on and or by not deliver the most effective dialog . here and the writing can not measure with that of american beauty . but that can be say about most movie ever make and even the best and there be still a lot to like represent say music score and ( expectable and give the cast ) effective performance . of note be emile hirsch who would shine a couple of year later in the outstanding into the wild . overall i can recommend this film if you like suburban drama though it not the first one on a list of must see and which would be top by represent 1 american beauty 2 the ice storm 3 little child . after you have see and like those and check out this one .