Happiness
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Movie Reviews of Happiness
Movie Review: "I am not a scab...I am a STRIKE BREAKER"
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved "Happiness". Not once did it breach my sense of ethics, humor or morality. That might be because it is a film expressly intended to dig into the tenuous roots of modern morality, humor, and ethics.
It goes without saying that I had an idea of what I was going to see coming in. If you rent/buy this film under the impression that you are going to sit back and be entertained for a few hours, you will be in for quite the unpleasant shock. But after all, isn't that why there's a label on the front: "FOR MATURE AUDIENCES"? Yeah, probably. All you Fascists of Film who got your panties in a bunch because it deals with subject matter you can't handle should stick to "Love Actually" or "13 Going on 30".
The truth of the matter is that Solondz's "Happiness" is one of the most engaging, challenging films to roll around in awhile. It is also drop dead funny, if in an extremely strange way. It forces us to sympathize with characters we normally see on the 6:00 news wearing orange jumpsuits, leg shackles and cuffs, and does so in a way we will never forget. Admittedly, Solondz's portrait of humanity is not appealing or optimistic; the characters run the gamut from revolting specimens, deeply sick individuals, depressed and 'downcast' people, criminals, to children caught in the crossfire of a postmodern world devoid of real human connection. My favorite scene is when Timmy's father, a closet pedophile, makes a desperate plea to his oblivious wife. "I'm sick," he says, his face dead pale. "Take an aspirin," she replies drowsily.
The lie of cozy domesticity, the illusion of innocence, the truly repugnant nature of most of our basic instincts are driven home with brutal force. The ending is the most heart-rending piece in the entire film, and one wonders how they pulled it off. Think of it as a particularly distasteful episode of "South Park" with cinematic genius behind it. Kudos to Todd Solondz for having the balls to make and market this singular, disturbing film.
Movie Review: It was about time for a dose of reality
Summary: 5 Stars
in a sense happiness was the best film of 98' although saving private ryan was altogether better and will have a much longer lasting effect. happiness is a story, actually stories, about everyday people and what drives them. we open the movie with a descently funny scene with john lovitz getting dumped by his even bigger loser girlfriend. great opener for this movie, because with the PG rated opener we then move to the NC-17 remainder of the movie. the next scene we have a closeup of philip hoffman's character explaining in calmly violent detail of what he would like to do,sexually, to his very attractive neighbor laura flynn boyle. we stare in disgust at this person who is being honest with his pyschiatrist about what he feels, and that he will never fullful these fantasies because he is too boring. the camera then flashes over to his psychiatrist who is currently zoning out thinking of the remaining days activities. great writing and directing from solondz. thats pretty much all i can say about him, he has always been good and will continue to be good. this movie is better than welcome to the dollhouse on many scales, perhaps due to the scenes with dylan bakers character which keeps us glued to the screen. word of advice, somthing i noticed about all of the other reviews given on this movie, the couch scene with the pedophile and his son was probably the most disturbing, blindsiding, and brilliant scene i have viewed in a while. for the advice, dont see this movie unless you want to be absolutely shocked with the climax of this film. i am not easily amused or caught off guard by movies, but the couch scene had me telling the screen i couldnt believe what i just witnessed. he doesnt do anything physically to his son instead he answers honestly and calmly and the last thing he tells his son is so outrageously absurd, yet we get the feeling he is just telling the truth. disturbing. brilliant. indellible. go see this movie.
Movie Review: Note: It's a COMEDY.
Summary: 5 Stars
'We train boys to drop fire on people, yet we won't let them write f___ on their planes--because it's obscene!' --Apocalypse Now.
Other reviewers who have given both positive and negative reviews seem to mistake two things: 1. This is not a drama. It is a satire of our current culture in the highest sense, and because it's a satire, the characters are not meant to portray real people. Yes, there are people like this, but there are not people like 'this' (in fact, there are probably people far worse than this). 2. 'Groundbreaking' is not a synonym for 'shocking'. Yes, it is chock full of shock, but this characteristic can probably be traced back through a lineage of shocking films like Pulp Fiction.
You are not supposed to like these people--if you do, what is the matter with you? Half of these people are presumably/hopefully in jail by the end of this movie. The movie clearly mocks most if not all of them, yet what is most extraordinary--most brilliant--is the care and precision in which mockery is balanced by empathy. The true horror of this movie is not seen until the final scene, where they all sit around the lunch table, and not ONE of them gets it! Is this not frightening? Is human nature not this absurd at times, if not all the time? Shouldn't this epiphany rank up there with the realization of mortality and infinitude? To think that there are people in this world who would do such things! And to think that there are OTHER people in this world who remain OBLIVIOUS, unable to comprehend the possibility that the majority of humans have nothing but selfishness, unkindness and hatred for one another as much as for themselves; people whose thoughts do not extend beyond what happened on Jay Leno last night. The horror! The horror!
Movie Review: UNIQUE/ORIGINAL MOVIE
Summary: 5 Stars
Happiness is basically a story that shows that people arn't always as they appear and there's more going on behind the scenes than you think and it shows people's private lives and shows all the emotions they feel and reveals about thier lives.It takes the story of a family and people and just puts it all out there.At times funny,strange and wierd but reason i give this 5 stars is because it's a very unique and diffrent film.Ive never seen a film like this before so it deserves 5 for its creativity and openness on the subject matter and the actors were amazing, perfect actors for the charachters in this movie.I didnt find this movie disturbing like the people in some of the reviews on here said- there was no nudity and not much violence ( that you can see).But i guess this got a nc 17 rating for the subject matter of pedophilia and all the other issues they discuss.There was one part i thought was a lil sick at the end but other than that the movie is fine if you are ok with witnessing people talking about some major issues in thier lives.This is the first Todd Solondz movie ive seen and i think i just might try the other movies he has since i liked this one.This movie deals with diffrent people with so many diffrent problems and it is very strange but brilliant at same time. But ive seen movies that were way more disturbing than this one so like i said it's not bad only subject matter.Anyone under 18 i guess shouldnt see this- though it really depends on how mature you are if you are open minded on discussing and watching controversial subjects and getting into peoples heads.Id say i wouldve still enjoyed this and not been offended even at 17.I'm 21 now.But all kids arnt the same so yes not for under 18 but all over 18 this is a good movie, i recomend it.Movie Review: These people are not champagne.
Summary: 5 Stars
Just 10 minutes after seeing Todd Solondz's Happiness, I am in shock at how much I loved this film. Happiness is perverted, dark, and pessimistic but it is also an insightful allegory on human nature. All of these characters are dispicable, except Joy, but there is something in them that we can relate to: and that is the need to be happy. No matter how deeply wretched a desire might be, it is still a desire just like your's and mine, and at the end of the day all we want to do is to gain happiness by fufilling them. Reviewers who say this film isn't honest are completly dense, if anything this film is too honest. There are some scenes here, the father/son conversation near the end especially, that are so open that I cringed. The acting from the entire cast was incredible and Dylan Baker's performance here asserts that he is one of the most underrated (and unsettling!)actors working today. In the end I found the most impressive feat of Happiness to be Solondz's balancing act in tone. He walks this whole film on a thin line between comedy and complete depravity and succeeds. While most will call the Bill Maplewood thread of the film disgusting, I found it miraculous how Solondz managed to make a pedophile somewhat empathetic and three dimensional. The audience is supposed to hate this man, but why do we hold are breath when we feel his crimes have been found out? (The reviewer who made the psycho comparision said it all). Happiness is not a film for everyone, only for those who can see through the dark tunnel of perversions and find the existential truths at the end of it. The sex is raw, the people are mean, the acts are heinous, but the main desire is our own: and that is to be happy. See Happiness, I effing loved it. A+