Better Living Through Chemistry (film)

Plot

Doug Varney (Sam Rockwell), is unhappily married to Kara, (Michelle Monaghan). They have a son Ethan who is acting weird. Kara isn't interested in anything but staying fit and cycling; she teaches spin classes and wins the town's cycle race every year. Straitlaced Doug is bullied by his retired father-in-law, whose small-town Pharmacy he took over.

Elizabeth (Olivia Wilde), is a bored trophy wife, prescription drug abuser and one of Doug's best clients. She seduces the unhappy Doug and they begin an affair and do lots of pharmaceuticals. Doug's life is transformed by "better living through chemistry". Elizabeth persuades Doug to murder her husband Jack (Ray Liotta) so that they can run away together by tampering with the dosages of his heart medication. The plan fails when the delivery boy ODs on stolen pharmaceuticals. Doug realises that he can't abandon his son who needs him and straightens up. Elizabeth leaves Jack and heads overseas.

Cast

Production

On February 25, 2010, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Posamentier and Moore would collaborate on their directorial debut, with their own screenplay of Better Living Through Chemistry, for Occupant Films. On January 7, 2014, Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired all the United States distribution rights to the film for a spring 2014 release.

Casting

In April 2010, Paul Rudd was expected to join the cast as a lead actor to play Douglas Varney. However, on September 15, 2010, Jennifer Garner and Jeremy Renner joined the cast to play the lead roles in the film, with Renner to play Douglas Varney and Garner to play Elizabeth Roberts. On February 11, 2011, Judi Dench and Michelle Monaghan joined the cast of the film.

Then, on July 15, 2011, Sam Rockwell continued negotiations with Occupant Films to replace Renner, who left the project due to a hectic filming schedule. In August 2011, Garner was pregnant and expecting her third child with Ben Affleck, resulting in the actress' departure from the project. Olivia Wilde replaced Garner and was cast opposite the confirmed Rockwell. Ray Liotta also joined the cast on March 27, 2012 to play the husband of Elizabeth Roberts. On May 16, 2012, Jane Fonda joined the cast of the film as Narrator, as well as a cameo as a customer of a pharmacy run by Douglas Varney.

Filming

The filming of Better Living Through Chemistry began in May 2012 in Annapolis, Maryland. The duration of filming was five weeks and it occurred in different locations, including Baltimore, Anne Arundel County and Eastern Shore of Maryland. On May 10, 2012, the filming crew was shooting footage at Maryland State House.