Better Housekeeping (2002)

Synopsis: BETTER HOUSEKEEPING, Frank Novak's straightforward portrait of the day-to-day trauma of domestic violence, focuses on one family living in a low-income suburban neighborhood. Don (Bob Mills) and... BETTER HOUSEKEEPING, Frank Novak's straightforward portrait of the day-to-day trauma of domestic violence, focuses on one family living in a low-income suburban neighborhood. Don (Bob Mills) and Donatella (Petra Weston) are an unhappily married couple waiting for a divorce. Their household is in chaos. Fighting incessantly, choosing immature annoyance tactics to further complicate their situation, using their young son as a pawn, and constantly raising the bar on how to hate each even more, they need help. Though Donatella frequently calls the police to intervene--because Don pointed a gun at her, or because Don built a wall through the middle of their house to divide their space--there is little they can do. When the cops see their aggravated, hostile, uncontrollable attitudes toward each other, they carefully back away. Their son, Chuck (Zia), seems to mean nothing to either of them. He is just a tool with which to accuse each other of child abuse. There is no doubt that Chuck's exposure to his disturbed parents has already confused his understanding of basic kindness and humanity, not to mention love. The only semi-functional, and seemingly compassionate relationship portrayed in the film is Donatella's budding romance with a female coworker at the factory where she is employed. Don's friendships, conversely, are based on drug deals, drinking, and petty barter for collectable toys. All in all, BETTER HOUSEKEEPING paints a sad and unsettling picture of an all-too-common problem. [More]

Starring: Bob Mills, Petra Weston, Scooter Stephan, Lacey Adams

Starring: Bob Mills, Petra Weston, Scooter Stephan, Lacey Adams, Zia, Al Schuerman

Director: Frank Novak

Director: Frank Novak
Screenwriter: Frank Novak
Producer: Mark Mathis
Studio: Universal Focus

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