Bovie Movie

British theatre director Sam Mendes made an astonishing film debut with this sublime black comedy about midlife crises, starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening as a bored couple in suburban America. The sexually frustrated Bening begins an affair with estate agent Peter Gallagher; Spacey, meanwhile, fantasises about Mena Suvari, a teenage friend of his daughter’s. Their disparate needs make for a comic tragedy of misunderstanding that combines acute observations with side-splitting scenarios. This truly outstanding film (on which Steven Spielberg acted as an uncredited producer) deservedly picked up a clutch of Oscars, including best picture, best director and best actor for Spacey. 

Ben Stiller made his directorial debut with this Generation X comedy, which, though likeable enough, isn’t particularly realistic. Strip away the attitude and all you’ll find is an old-fashioned romantic comedy, in which Winona Ryder can’t make up her mind between geek Stiller and tuned-in drop-out Ethan Hawke. This wouldn’t be so bad if the characters were interesting, but, with the exception of Janeane Garofalo, they’re self-obsessed 20-somethings with little grasp of the big bad world. Yet, for all its faults, this still has moments of hip charm.