In “Mad Women” Lipsky paints a portrait of strife in a family with characters whose relationships to one another come under a strain even as they evolve and face crises in their lives.

Harper Smith, played with conviction by Christina Starbuck, is running for mayor in a small New York town, and is fired up with ultra liberal goals and even at one point preaches secession. She comes with the baggage of having served a brief prison sentence on a murder conspiracy charge, something she is proud of because of acting in a cause she deems just. It has earned her a reputation as a local hero.

But Harper is dogged by problems. Her husband, Richard, a dentist, portrayed by the ever-effective Reed Birney, has pleaded guilty to a dalliance with a 16-year old girl, which under the law is statutory rape. The film gives Richard his time under the spotlight to expound dramatically. In addition to having an unfaithful husband, Harper is smacked with having to face a serious illness.

The couple’s daughter, Nevada, is given a strong depiction by Kelsey Lynn Stokes, who has an older idealistic sister, and still mourns the loss of a three-year-old sister to cancer. Nevada, who is trying to come into her own with a romantic relationship, becomes furious with her father for what he has done. She flashes anger and sometimes is sullen and is generally defiant. In contrast, she assumes the burden of caring for mother with a passion. Meanwhile, Nevada becomes closer and closer to the good-looking Otto Breyer (Eli Percy), a marketing executive and the understanding man in her life.

As you can see, the mix is volatile. Lipsky strives for candor, whether with dialogue or sex, and he is true to the characters that he has created. However, sometimes his juggling of time lines is confusing, and a lot seems to be happening within a short period, although some scenes would appear to be flashbacks.