American Pastoral (2016)

Ewan McGregor makes his feature directorial debut with this adaptation of Philip Roth's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, American Pastoral (2016). McGregor stars as Swede and Jennifer Connelly plays his wife Dawn, two all American pillars of virtue living in the picture perfect 1960s. From the frame story of a high school class reunion in the 90's, we know that Swede was a star athlete, who died just before the big shindig. Flashing back, we hear that Dawn was a former Miss America contestant, who lived on a New Jersey farm with Swede where they raised their daughter Merry (Dakota Fanning). Their life is truly the American dream, except their daughter becomes a literal bombthrowing, radical leftist who ends up wanted by the FBI after she blows up a post office and kills a guy. Merry flees, Dawn and Swede's life is ruined, and eventually their marriage falters as they try and find out what happened to their daughter. This one's not the most fun you'll have watching a film, but there are two scenes that'll lighten the mood, including one where we see Dawn nearly nude! Yes, Jennifer Connelly steals the film in a sexy scene where she parades around her husband's glove factory in nothing but a sash, showing off her butt and a really nice merkin! That'll get you jerkin! We'd become a terrorist commie if it meant getting a piece of Merry's mommy! At another point in the movie, Swede ends up in a hotel room with Valerie Curry, who lies on the bed, hikes up her skirt, and essentially starts begging Swede to satisfy her lady need! Never pass on that kind of ass! A book that sticks with you becomes a movie that gets you sticky with American Pastoral!