Films like A Pain in the Ass.

A Pain in the Ass (2008) reads as Warm, breathless, gentle comedy, grounded in texture. Ambivalent, intimate, cold. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

I Give It a Year (2013) poster
1. I Give It a Year2013

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Slammin' Salmon (2009) poster
2. The Slammin' Salmon2009

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009) poster
3. The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard2009

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape; trades toward a clean studio craft.

Clear History (2013) poster
4. Clear History2013

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

The Big Bad Wolf (2013) poster
5. The Big Bad Wolf2013

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Italians (2009) poster
6. Italians2009

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Les Francis (2014) poster
7. Les Francis2014

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape; trades toward a clean studio craft.

21 & Over (2013) poster
8. 21 & Over2013

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Fun with Dick and Jane (2005) poster
9. Fun with Dick and Jane2005

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Fastlife (2014) poster
10. Fastlife2014

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009) poster
11. I Love You, Beth Cooper2009

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Halal State Security (2011) poster
12. Halal State Security2011

Keeps the heightened unreality and the grounded, familiar shape; trades toward a clean studio craft.

These are A Pain in the Ass’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

Find my film for tonight — 60 sec →