 |
I rate this movie "good" for the honesty of its stark portrayal of lonely, self-obssessed and/or dysfunctional people. The Jordan family, parents Lenny (Ben Gazzara) and Mona (Louise Lasser...remember "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman"?!) and daughters, Joy, Helen (played by a luminous, pre-surgical Lara Flynn Boyle) and Trish, are at the center of the drama. Trish's husband, Bill, and one of his psychiatric patients, Allen (played with customary brilliance by Philip Seymour Hoffman), round out the cast of main players. Joy is a lonely, insecure woman, with dreams of finding Mr. Right, achieving success as a singer-songwriter a la Carole King, and topping it off with a career helping humanity. Unfortunately for Joy, the best she can do in the man department is summed up by the opening scene with Jon Lovitz (who later kills himself after being dumped by Joy) and a later 1-night stand with a Russian immigrant she meets while teaching English as a second language. Helen is the ultimate narcissist who specializes in "fixing up" the world around her in a desperate attempt to bring substance and meaning to her shallow life, riddled with multiple, nameless one-night stands. Successful as a reality-based novelist, Helen is smart enough to know how shallow she is, but can't ultimately give up the superficial requirements of both her physical beauty and her social status. Trish could give June Cleaver and Mary Bailey a run for Mother-of-the-Year. She is the consummate housewife, spouse and mother. Everything is always just so except for the fact that she and her husband never have sexual relations. The girls' parents are a typical, middle-aged Jewish couple suffering from boredom as they while away the time in Florida. Mona is not atypical of her generation, surrendering career and individuality for husband and children. But Lenny is the true nihilist. He has no feeling, whether during sex or in the heat of various family tragedies. Nothing makes him smile or love. The movie leaves him pouring salt on his dinner with the warning of his doctor ringing in our ears to the effect that Lenny will live forever if he just watches his salt intake. Which brings us to Bill Maplewood who we meet falling asleep during one of Allen's psychiatry sessions only to find blissful relief in the back of his car, masturbating to the cover of a teen-boy magazine. Bill's desires swiftly escalate and lead to several critical, painful segments of the movie involving friends of his pre-teen son, Billy (play brilliantly and realistically by Rufus Read who has done nothing by TV bit parts since...go figure). The scenes between Bill and Billy, particularly their final scene together, are the stuff of bitter dark comedy. This film is not for the squeamish. There are graphic scenes depicting masturbation and sexual intercourse. Pedophilia and some nasty phone sex are also featured prominently. This film focuses on the dark, dysfunctional aspects of human sexuality brought out by loneliness and lack of self-fulfillment. Many of these traits (hopefully excluding the pedophilia) are probably recognizable to all of us.Read full review
This film is indeed marvelous. Todd Solondz combines really absurd situations and embarrassing moments -some of which most of us do encounter in daily life and some we hopefully won't- with serious issues. Thus, this film provides not only a very high degree of entertainment -Solondz' sense for irony is exceptional-, it gives you a critical view on society without judging or condemning or forcing you to think one way or the other. I am genuinely impressed by Happiness and its cast full of great actors. It is littered with an assortment of characters that seem to have sexual fetishes and perversions of some sort. Solondz explores some dark subjects and you would think this would make the film harsh and difficult to watch, but it holds your attention throughout mainly because of the excellent performances on show, especially from Dylan Baker as a respected doctor who holds a terrible secret, and Philip Seymour Hoffman as an obscene phone-caller. He is so incredibly versatile - he successfully made my skin crawl here. Before I even go further the very first scene is probably the best work John Lovitz has ever done. This movie looks dead on at some of the most awkward and horrific things in American culture, but never ever ever tells you or suggests to you what you should think or feel, the way most films do. John's Speech will blow you away. Jane Adams, who has a calamitous love life and plays the social reject of three dysfunctional sisters, does a wonderful job in role her facial expressions will get you going. My personal favorite was Cynthia Stevenson as one of those typical housewives with 2.5 kids and a carpool. Her character was so obnoxious, superficial and condescending - she clearly did a wonderful job. I was also a huge fan of Camryn Manheim (what a twist!), Lara Flynn Boyle (she gives new meaning to the role of the phony snob), Elizabeth Ashley, and Molly Shannon's cameo which was HYSTERICAL. And the child actors...simply brilliant and such difficult material. The film's most powerful and emotional scene is towards the end when Baker's character has a trying conversation with his son. I think it is fair to say that anyone watching this film can identify with at LEAST one of the so-called 'sicknesses' of the characters, therefore, it is the look in to the dark recesses of their own minds that makes them so uncomfortable. The world is a messed up place, and we all contribute to that in our own fashion, some more than others, but nevertheless, we all do, because our lives all clash with one another at some point. The best we can do is to face it and deal with it, not act as though we are separate from it! I suppose what I am trying to say is that this work is an important, unflinching look at the REAL reality in this world and, like it or not, it does affect you in one way or another, so you might as well face up to it by identifying with this film!Read full review
What a great movie. This is a hard to find movie so I was extremely happy to get it. This film is funny, sad and disturbing as well. It's a homerun for me. I love it.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Not for everyone, Happiness is a dark look into the pursuit of happiness, focusing on 3 sisters and their sordid existences in New Jersey. This copy of the film was in great shape.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Dark film, black humor, w/ an AMAZING ensemble cast. Not for everybody!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in DVDs & Blu-ray Discs
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on DVDs & Blu-ray Discs
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- You may also like
