A withering indictment of American social values, written and directed by a man who has never set foot in America, Lars von Trier’s Dogville is an ambitious provocation. With an all-star cast led by Nicole Kidman, this epic Brechtian drama is a raw examination of small-town hypocrisy and prejudice.

Lars von Trier dialed down his ferociousness in the mid-2000s to make a satire of neoliberalism that is, in fact, surprisingly sweet! Circling around an eager thespian who bears the brunt of a peculiar act of outsourcing, this droll, lo-fi version of the office sitcom never needs a laugh track.