King of the Corner

Star Peter Riegert makes his feature directorial debut with this off-kilter midlife-crisis-comedy gem, letting the humanity of his characters—even the unsurprisingly wacky ones, like his dad, played by Eli Wallach—shine through the rather clichéd molds into which they've been shoehorned. The details of the plot will sound familiar, of course—the protégé at work who's bucking for the tired hero's job; the elderly parent growing dotty in old age; the spouse frustrated and bored by the lead's ennui—but with the likes of Isabella Rossellini (as the wife) and Eric Bogosian (as a "freelance rabbi") among the terrific cast, this material is made fresh again. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include Riegert's first film—the Oscar-nominated short "By Courier"—as well as audio commentary by Riegert and a “making-of” featurette. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a winning little film.] (M. Johanson)