“Genes and randomness, that’s all there is and none of it matters.”

That’s one of the conclusions that the impish Todd Solondz has one of his characters (a man tarnished as a paedophile without any substantiating evidence) splurge out at the end of what is quite a strange (but engaging) film.

As with his previous films, Mr Solondz offers us no clear position on anything; at various points in this film I thought I was watching an advert for pro-life extremism. And that’s why he’s such a good film maker, because he makes you uncomfortable. You’re never quite sure if he’s ridiculing his disabled characters or rubbing your face in your own prejudices for example.

In Palindromes, the central story concerns Aviva who wants a baby. Using the road movie format, Solondz takes us into the badlands of America’s liberal and fundamentalist Christian landscapes. During the film, Aviva is played by a number of different actors and this device is used to unsettle the viewer as she encounters a number of scary dudes.

Sex, awkwardness, cruelty and children crop up time and time again. In particular the ethical responsibilities adults have towards children are explored, and the conclusion generally is that kids are amoral whereas adults are immoral. It’s not a pretty world that Solondz invites us into, and ultimately humiliation, bullying and shame seem to be the rewards for enduring it all. It’s a messy world and it’s getting messier.

A challenging film that makes you work and doesn’t care whether you like it or not.

Excellent.