The Land of Steady Habits

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2:26

The Land of Steady Habits

2018

1h 38m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

41 Reviews

50%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Feeling trapped in the stifling, wealthy enclave of Westport, Conn., a man retires from his job in finance and leaves his wife in the hopes that it will renew his lust for life. He befriends a drug-addicted teen, sending him down a path of reckless, regrettable behavior. His shameful actions cause him to question who he is as a father and, ultimately, who he is as a person.

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Critics Consensus

With typically sharp work from writer-director Nicole Holofcener and finely layered performances, The Land of Steady Habits is one mid-life crisis worth watching.

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David Stratton

The Australian

Mar 28, 2020

The film is smart, intelligent and one of the best from this always interesting director.

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Pamela Hutchinson

Sight & Sound

Jan 2, 2019

It's Holofcener's first film for Netflix, which may be ruthlessly fitting given its attack on staid domestic archetypes and middle-class mores.

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David Edelstein

New York Magazine/Vulture

Sep 18, 2018

A great actor when his motor is running fast, Mendelsohn is surprisingly attractive at slower speeds and better when Holofcener makes him twist.

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Daniel Howat

Next Best Picture

May 19, 2022

7/10

This makes for a sad but effective film, with unfortunate characters who want to be whole again but have no clue how to get there.

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Matthew St. Clair

Cinema Sentries

Oct 5, 2020

Thanks to its humanistic acting and carefully constructed writing, The Land Of Steady Habits is a poignant depiction of a man trying to find a new lease.

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Matt Cipolla

Film Monthly

Jul 25, 2020

3/5

[A]side from its technical fluency and a typically effortless performance from Ben Mendelsohn, this self-pity party feels a decade too late.

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Susan S

@Suzy2 Dec 31, 2025

This film was a tragic comedy of a mid-life crisis that took turns being banal and fascinating. The acting was excellent and each character lived. The setting of affluent angst was spot on. The main character, Anders, was finding himself and losing those around him, and made one wonder just where his self-revelations were leading. The universal theme of searching for meaning and positing purpose in an every-changing world where everything is replaceable - even human lives - resonates through the superficial materialism and consumerism and Deja Vu of cyclical experience.

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acsdoug D

@acsdoug Jan 3, 2025

While I usually don't like movies like this - family dramas that don't really go anywhere - I actually liked this one. It has relatable characters and moments of genuine humor

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Vanesa C

@Vanesa538 Sep 15, 2024

I totally loved that movie and find it worthwhile watching it!

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Knoe F

@RT99423865 Jul 12, 2024

Excellent, nuanced film with great acting, writing and direction! Wish there were more of this quality.

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Dave V

@MBgolfee Jun 4, 2024

It is a dark film, but very well done. A midlife crisis turns into a web of lives being affected. It is very realistic and helps people grasp and understand the emotional roller coaster when one experiences this phase of life. When one looks at their life and begins to wonder what it is all about. I enjoyed it.

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Gary K

@RT48540040 Feb 3, 2024

Relentlessly bleak. Not really poignant and the characters don't show much growth or find a path forward in life.

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Nicole Holofcener

Director

Ben Mendelsohn

Anders Hill

Edie Falco

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Synopsis

Feeling trapped in the stifling, wealthy enclave of Westport, Conn., a man retires from his job in finance and leaves his wife in the hopes that it will renew his lust for life. He befriends a drug-addicted teen, sending him down a path of reckless, regrettable behavior. His shameful actions cause him to question who he is as a father and, ultimately, who he is as a person.

Director: Nicole Holofcener
Producer: Stefanie Azpiazu, Anthony Bregman
Screenwriter: Nicole Holofcener
Distributor: Netflix
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 14, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 14, 2018
Runtime: 1h 38m

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