Alexander Payne's Feature Directorial Debut Was This Funny, Scathing Political Commentary Starring Laura Dern and Burt Reynolds

Before he became the cinematic voice of the curmudgeon experiencing a midlife crisis, Alexander Payne was one of the most scathing and insightful satirists working behind the page and the camera. With his impeccable tonal balance between pitch-black comedy, tender appreciation of the open world, and poignant reflection on fleeting relationships and aging, Payne excels at crafting middle-brow dramedies with an artful and sophisticated touch. Few directors are as in touch with humanity's most insecure and desperate emotional dispositions, as seen in About Schmidt, Sideways, and The Holdovers.