Happiness (1998) User Reviews

An oft-misunderstood film about quiet desperation

[evilmatt-3 · 9/10 · 18 August 2001]

I wasn't going to write a comment for this one, but after reading all the nasty things said about it, and considering that _Happiness_ was the basis for one of my final undergraduate philosophy papers, I feel a duty to defend it.

First of all, what you've heard is true: this movie is very graphic and almost impossible to sit through without covering your eyes at least once. However, it is worth noting that the most uncomfortable scenes are uncomfortable precisely because of an empathy that the audience establishes with the characters; it is that precisely that empathy which often pulls the audience in a direction opposite from social mores that makes us squirm. I don't know how many of the other critics here are schooled in film theory, but that kind of powerful emotional effect is typically considered a GOOD THING in films. So, really, what most people object to about this film is the content, regardless of what they want other to believe.

That said, this really is a wonderful film precisely because of the level of human understanding, empathy, and reality it encompasses. It portrays human nature from the inside out, where it is least dignified and most pathetic. What we see are a number of people desperately scrabbling around for fulfillment, because they have all to some degree achieved the fulfillment of their desires and found it hollow. Since they don't realize this fact themselves (most people don't), they look for that fulfillment they feel entitled to by using other people. It is this fundamental destructiveness of human desire (written about masterfully by Zizek) which causes the "evils" in this film.

I put "evils" in quotes because, as Solondz's film masterfully demonstrates, there is no evil to be found in this film; there is only humanity and suffering. This absence of moral judgment, though disquieting, is what allows the spectacular sense of empathy and full moral complexity of this film.

Thus, the moral of the film is that the surest way of destroying happiness is to seek it. And that, I feel, is a message that not only makes this a great film but also an artwork of tremendous social value.

Dark brilliance

[FilmOtaku · 8/10 · 18 March 2005]

When a film opens with a scene between two people, one breaking up with the other, culminating in the dumped calling the dumper "Shit", you know you're in for something dark with this film. When the scene is followed by the simple opening title "Happiness" written in pretty cursive writing, you know it's going to be ironic as well. "Happiness" was written and directed by Todd Solondz, the mind behind the film "Welcome to the Dollhouse", a film that was fantastic but really hard to watch if the viewer has any kind of heart. "Happiness" follows in the same vein, though this time, instead of centering around one character, Solondz puts a New Jersey family at the center of the film and develops new characters through their relationship with the family.

Overseeing the family is Mona Jordan (Lasser), the matriarch of the family who has just been told by her husband that he no longer loves her. Lenny Jordan (Gazzara) is simply sick of being tied to someone continuously, while insisting that there is "no one else". Joy Jordan (Adams) is a serially employed thirty-something single female who is constantly belittled by her family and ignored by society. She is most close to her sister Trish Maplewood (Stevenson), a stay at home mother with three kids who likes to say she "has it all". Her husband Bill (Baker) is a psychiatrist who outwardly appears to be a stoic family man, but is actually a pedophile who, within five minutes of the introduction of his character, goes to a convenience store to pick up a teen heartthrob magazine so he can masturbate in the back seat of his car to the pictures of the young boys on the cover. The third sister in the family is Helen Jordan (Boyle), an author recently made semi-famous for an angst-ridden published diary (filled with lies) who has a very high opinion of herself and a way of making others feel badly about themselves while never raising her smooth-as-glass voice or making her jabs obvious. Her neighbor Allen (Hoffman) is in love with her, only he is so inept at socialization and unable to approach her that he attempts to satisfy his desires by first making random obscene phone calls to various women, and then making Helen a target herself. Another neighbor, Kristina (Manheim) is an insecure, quiet woman who is constantly trying to befriend Allen, possibly as a love interest.

There is quite a cast of characters to this ensemble picture, and the story lines become intricate and increasingly more complicated as the film progresses. "Happiness" is filled with excellent character actors (at the top of the list would certainly be Hoffman) but the most compelling character and character portrayal would be Baker's character of Bill Maplewood. Obviously, a film that deals unflinchingly with pedophilia and child rape, particularly under the guise of a "dark comedy" is going to be held under closer observation, but even under this scrutiny, Baker's portrayal is absolutely flawless. While his character is a monster, Baker is able to provide a human side to it, where I was left thinking he was a terrible man, but also had sympathy for him because he had a sickness. There are not many actors I can think of that could pull off this role as stupendously as Baker did. Baker was the clear star of the film in my opinion, but the performances of every person in the cast were fantastic as well, particularly the young boy who played Baker's oldest son.

As I stated earlier, "Happiness" is rife with irony because on the surface, everyone is miserable. However, it soon becomes relatively clear that this is just how these people are, and each of them to some extent ARE living in happiness, as misguided as it may appear to be. Everyone ends up being hurt or disappointed on some level, but they are still together and seem to be satisfied to be in the destructively emotional rut they are in. Solondz, who really has his finger on the pulse of misery, (Just like when, upon hearing that Stephen King gets inspiration for his books from his dreams I was glad that he at least makes millions from being terrified at night, I would hate to get a front row seat in Solondz's psyche) really gives the audience something to chew with "Happiness". I loved the chances he took with the subject matter, I loved the performances, and I loved the film as a whole because it was just so damn well done. It's not an easy film to watch, and it's not an entirely pleasant one to watch at times, but it is truly a piece of genius with the way it is intricately put together; envision trying to glue tiny shards of crystal into place with a tweezers – the characters in "Happiness" are as fragile and ready to shatter at any moment, whether they can see it for themselves or not. 8/10 --Shelly

I love this film, I'll never watch it again

[christoffertoresen · 8/10 · 27 January 2019]

This is a horrible, distasteful, hilarious and brilliant film. A movie that has the modus operandi of displaying sexual frustration through deviancy will certainly alienate the vast majority of audiences, no matter how well it does its job. And let's make this clear: it does its job, and it does it almost too well as I had to watch it several times to stand getting to the end. It's amazing, but don't feel bad if you can't stomach it.

Transfixed, mortified, amused, devastated

[johnpil · 22 June 2000]

Gradually, as I watched this movie, I became aware that I was witnessing some of the most powerful and honest acting, writing, and directing I had ever experienced. And I'm glad, because if this material had been attempted by anyone without extreme skill and sensitivity, it would have been a monstrous disaster. As it is, I don't think I would add it to my DVD collection. I don't know if I could watch it again, and I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable people seeing it on my shelf unless they knew me well. There are moments of great hope in this movie, when you think misery may finally give way to happiness. There are moments of great honesty, when a character says just what you'd expect them to say, and you realize how "safe" every other movie character has been in comparison. The humor that other reviews talk about is not the kind of humor that makes me laugh, personally. It's the dark, visceral humor of human weakness, meanness and even pathology. I still appreciate it for what it is, and it is used in a profound and delicate way. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who is willing to accept that life, and especially sexual life, is really much more complex and difficult than we usually admit. I recommend watching it alone, or with a friend or partner with whom you can discuss the most emotionally difficult topics. This movie will test you if you stick with it, but you'll know you saw something profound.

A brilliant movie, but not for everyone.

[gmaland · 10/10 · 15 March 2000]

This is one of the best movies I've ever seen, but I would hesitate to recommend it to people whom I don't know pretty well. It explores aspects of life and living (and suffering) that most films avoid or actively deny. And it does so brilliantly. The characters are vividly real, and there is such a strong sense of situations unfolding in real time that it's truly mesmerising. I felt like a fly on the wall, eavesdropping on conversations I could never hear otherwise. I think many people would absolutely hate this movie, partly because it doesn't pass judgement on behaviours that are repulsive to the bulk of humanity, and partly because it exposes us to them at all.

One of the year's best films--but be prepared for some very disturbing material. **** (out of four)

[Movie-12 · 10/10 · 18 August 2001]

HAPPINESS / (1998) **** (out of four)

Todd Solondz, writer and director of "Happiness," describes his perplexing film as "a series of intertwining love stories, stories of connections missed and made between people, how people always struggle to make a connection, and to what degree they succeed or don't." It's about relationships, obsessions, and stunning discoveries both private and social. It contains some very graphic material-enough that the filmmakers released it without an MPAA rating. Even as the film exploits extreme adult themes and graphic content, it does not glamorize or stylize its subjects. Rather, it uses them to paint a disturbing picture of the dark side of human nature.

The film connects with the audience because these characters feel real-they are ordinary people with serious problems. It takes place in a homely suburbia environment in which Solondz draws us in, and eventually pushes us far away with enough provocative content to stand next to "A Clockwork Orange." The movie does, however, know what to show on screen and what not to. It's smart, and indecisive, not dirty and gratuitous. The film defines the character's relationships very well. "Happiness" doesn't explore random, unrelated characters. Their separate lives do, however, connect, and the movie does a great job revealing those connections.

"Happiness" follows a complicated story woven through the lives of many characters. Joy Jordan (Jane Adams), a middle-aged telephone sales person living by herself in New Jersey, longs for a decent relationship after recently breaking up with her boyfriend (Jon Lovitz). Her parents, Mona (Louise Lasser), and Lenny (Ben Gazzara), are pending a divorce through their catalyst neighbor (Elizabeth Ashley). Joy has two sisters: Trish (Cynthia Stevenson), and Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle). Helen brags about how many men lust for her, while Trish is a chripy homemaker married to a therapist named Bill (Dylan Baker). Bill appears to be a typical husband and father, but he is really a homosexual pedofile who masturbates over teen idol magazines and molests the friends of his preteen son, Billy (Rufus Reed). Bill, however, has done a good job at hiding his disturbing feelings from his friends and family.

Billy confronts his father about his developing sexuality, while Bill is also riddled with sex discussions as one of his patients, Allen (Philip Seymour Hoffman) obsessively raves about having sex with Helen. They meet one day when Allen makes one of his usual obscene phone calls, and Helen enjoys his heavy breathing and wants to make love with Allen. A large woman (Camryn Manheim) who lives in the same apartment complex as Allen often knocks at his door. She likes Allen, but he is too busy shuffling through porno magazines and making explicit phone calls to random women to notice those feelings.

In the production notes, producer Ted Hope describes Todd Solondz's vision as "comedic tragedy. Todd knows how to maintain that fine balance between heartbreak and humor. You're often unsure whether to laugh or cry." The dialogue, always riveting and thought-provoking, sometimes shocking with its irony and explicitness, often perplexes us; we are not quite sure how to respond to such phrases.

Take a scene where Bill exchanges a conversation with the coach of his son's baseball team –we're not sure whether to laugh or weep-we feel a little humor and sadness mixed. The coach is concerned of his own son's sexual status-he is afraid his kid is homosexual. Here's what their conversation involves:

Coach: What do you think would happen if I got him a professional... you know... Bill: A professional? Coach: Hooker. You know, the kind that can teach things... first-timers, you know... break him in. Bill: But Joe, he's 11. Coach: You're right, you're right. It's too late.

Ironic how I screened Neil Lebute's sexually provocative "Your Friends & Neighbors," just days after this astonishing production. Both movies honestly examine deep human despair in disturbing, frank detail. I remember the dialogue in both films. A specific scene in "Happiness" where Billy asks his father some very difficult questions about molestation. His father answers his son honestly, no matter how difficult the questions got.

I compare that scene to the scene in "Your Friend's & Neighbors" where three men relax in a steam room, and the character played by Jason Patrick verbally remembers his best sexual experience. These sequences require numerous viewing. They stare into the deep, dark crevices of the heart, and we can only watch in bafflement at the thought-provoking power these movies have and how they challenge our perspectives. "Happiness" is one of the better films of the year.

Solondz is one of the best American directors working today. Period.

[capkronos · 10/10 · 8 April 2002]

I don't want to waste time analyzing the plot since others have covered it so well... Basically here we have a Robert Altman-esqe pastiche of characters stemming from a seemingly normal family, plus others who come into their lives. Solondz sets them up and examines their lives, their dreams, their interactions and their facades. What's important is that he doesn't JUDGE these people. And even more importantly, he doesn't condescend to his audience. Like it or not, the people in this movie do exist and I think viewers instantly realize that.

This movie stirs up such strange emotions. It's tough to admit that we may have something in common with a Suburban pedophile, a pathetic dreamer, a pretentious literary snob or a obscene telephone sex stalker and one of the most frightening ideas ever put on film is here: Solondz makes plausible the people we view as being "sick" or generally look down upon aren't that much different than us. They still want the same things we do. And he also questions the ideals America seems to hold most dear, like monogamy and morality. And yeah, happiness. How exactly DO you find happiness? Is ANYONE really happy?

I cannot recommend HAPPINESS enough (neither can I with the director's equally impressive and incisive WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE). It's just an extraordinary movie; surprisingly funny, intelligent, brutally honest, powerful, original and relevant. The cast is thoroughly excellent and Solondz follows his own compass at all times in both the scripting and directing department. He's a brave filmmaker and I really have a lot of admiration for directors and writers who stray away from the tired Hollywood blockbuster formula. Good for some popcorn, sure, but aren't you glad there's other stuff out there to choose from?

Reading some of the other reviews posted here I was surprised at the amount of negative comments. I guess this isn't for everyone out there. If you want a fun night of fantasy escapism or a brainless comedy, don't bother. But if you want a blisteringly funny dose of reality, then don't miss this! Definitely a top contender for My 10 Favorite Movies of the 1990s list.

"Happiness" is where hope goes to die

[michaelmunkvold · 8/10 · 6 July 2015]

To call Todd Solondz's "Happiness" a dark comedy is to redefine the words "dark" and "comedy". It hates the world and everyone in it, and takes great pleasure in mocking people stupid enough to try to be happy. In Solondz's world, life is pointless, hope is for suckers, and everybody is basically bad at heart. It says something that the movie's most human, sympathetic character is a child molester.

And, yes, it's a comedy - often a very, very funny one. Funny in a morbid, gallows humor, dead baby joke sort of way, but funny nonetheless.

The chief characters in "Happiness" are all stunted, narcissistic and hopelessly inadequate. Joy (Jane Adams) is a born loser who drifts through a series of menial jobs and drives her boyfriend to suicide; her sister Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle) is so self-absorbed that she thinks her biggest problem is that everyone loves her too much; her neighbor Allen (Philip Seymour Hoffman) can only connect to people by making obscene phone calls; and Bill (Dylan Baker), his therapist and Joy and Helen's brother-in-law, is a pedophile who rapes two of his 11-year-old son's friends.

Somehow, Solondz makes these horrible people really, really funny. Like John Waters and the Farrelly Brothers, Solondz finds humor in ugliness and revels in bad taste. He makes sexual dysfunction and personal failure brutally funny; Allen's obscene phone calls, for example, are almost endearing in their ineptitude and anatomical incorrectness ("I'm gonna f*** you in the... ear"), while Helen's narcissism makes her gloriously clueless ("If only I had been raped as a child - then I would know authenticity!"). Solondz shows his characters in a clear, satiric light, and it despises them.

While Solondz may not like his characters, he does not take the easy way out by making them caricatures. Every one of these awful human beings is a three-dimensional character with reasons for being awful.

For example, most directors would have made Bill a one-note villain, but Solondz makes him a pitiful monster who is tortured by ghastly sexual urges that he knows are wrong. There's a tough scene near the end where Bill has a frank talk with his son Billy about his pedophilia, admitting: that he enjoyed raping his victims; that he would do it again; and, while he would not rape his own son, he would "jerk off instead". Both father and son are crying - Billy with horror as he realizes just what Bill is, and Bill with shame and despair as he realizes the same thing. It's hard to watch, but it's an acting master class and absolutely fearless film-making.

This is a real actor's movie; the cast gives career-best performances. Baker is both horrifying and heartbreaking as Bill; he squirms in his own skin, as if he is being eaten alive by his own sickness. We pity him, whether we want to or not. Hoffman is hilariously pathetic as Allen, sweating and mumbling with lonely self-hatred. Adams is sad and sweet as the luckless Helen, the closest thing the movie has to a moral center, while Boyle is priceless as the contemptible Helen, swanning around as if waiting for the world to thank her for being born.

"Happiness" is the epitome of "acquired taste" - its humor is bitter, acidic and often cruel, and it takes real joy in offending the audience. Go elsewhere for a feel-good comedy with a happy ending. If nothing else, though, it's a true original, and deserves credit for carving out its own niche in the "dark comedy" genre.

An entertaining film with some very strong messages.

[mikesturgill49 · 7/10 · 4 March 2022]

Yes watch out for your kids and don't depend on sex or other people for happiness and fulfillment in life. Attitudes toward sex and celebration of porn in society will continue to victimize many and things will only get worse. There's no happiness in cultivating and straining to fulfill appetites, only frustration and victimizing.

The director did a daring but fair job of presenting this material. After all it was a commercial venture.

A solid 7.5 stars!

Satire at its best.

[myntanis · 10/10 · 7 November 2010]

I stumbled upon this gem during one of my numerous internet research extravaganzas and boy was I pleased.

Happiness is a dark comedy, and for most it's brutal to sit through, but if you enjoy crude humor this movie is perfect.

The plot is pretty basic, three sisters and their encounters in New Jersey.

When I look at a movie critically, I usually weed out all the propaganda and controversy. I seek for acting talent and creativity. This movie was full of both.

Yes, it is technically a disturbing movie, but I urge you to view it with an open mind. The performances in this film are forever engraved in my mind as spectacular, and it's just down right hilarious (in a very crude way).

Phillip Seymour Hoffman has always been a brilliant actor in my mind, and his role in this film was probably his best. Dylan Baker should have gotten an Oscar nomination, but the Academy Awards are more focused on politics versus talent, in my humble opinion. So screw them.

The magic of this movie is the character interaction and of course it's shocking, but entertaining content.

Disturbing, funny, shocking. It's hard to analyze the entire movie without ruining everything (I'm not a fan of spoilers). Go rent it or whatever and I caution you to not watch it with any person who is easily disturbed or offended.

Enjoy my crappy review :)

Dysfunctionality is an over-rated dramatic tool.

[OneLuLu · 7/10 · 10 November 1998]

Dysfunctionality is an over-rated dramatic tool. And Solondz seems to rely on it exclusively. Too much of his material is deliberately, solely, and obsessively mean.

Be that as it may, Happiness scores high with me because two, out of six, of its main characters transcend the ooey-gooier-than-thou schtick and emerge as really powerful, and simultaneously amusing, studies. I've never seen a more scientifically balanced scene than the one in which a father is quizzed by his wounded son about his perversions; it manages to be scary and sad and laugh-out-loud funny all at once.

Sex: it's on everyone's mind!

[moonspinner55 · 8/10 · 9 June 2001]

The sexual foibles, perversities and hang-ups of a trio of sisters, their parents, neighbors and friends--told in a low, slightly monotone, key. It's a rich carousel of scared, scary lives with an inter-connecting pattern: the disillusionment of coupling--and how one keeps trying to succeed in this department despite the humiliations. Pretty funny once you get the idea--and only if you're attuned to this kind of sick black humor. Not for the faint of heart, but extremely clever concoction from talented writer-director Todd Solondz (whose first film, "Welcome To The Dollhouse", struck me as a stunt). This one is frank, funny, and very warped--almost over-the-top in places, especially the ending--yet kept on track by the terrific performances. Some might compare this to the later "Magnolia" (they're both tapestry films), but "Happiness" is superior, and certainly less pretentious. *** from ****

Disappointing follow up to "Welcome to the Dollhouse"

[wdanehy · 6/10 · 30 September 2001]

At least this movie wasn't boring. There was never a dull moment in this mess which might convince many viewers to overrate it. Fortunately dear reader I am not such a viewer.

I enjoyed this movie while watching. Perhaps I would have rated it higher if not for the ending which I shall not spoil, not that very much would be spoilt in any case, but I won't spoil. I would have rated it higher if my enjoyment was less derived from pure voyeurism and more from well developed characters and a terrific story. This is the kind of film that's well directed and acted enough to resemble art but depraved and disgusting enough to appeal to the voyeur in us, so we can excuse ourselves for sitting through it. The artistic elements did not outweigh the negatives, as you shall see in the following paragraph.

The situations in the film were just not funny, and thus in no sense can this be called a comedy. Pedophilia is especially not very humorous. There were scenes that I found to be quite gripping between a pedophiliac father and his son but they belong in a much better film, not in a film that turns everything into a joke with an ending that made me mad. Everything here deserves a better ending, perhaps a more tragic ending, but at least a conclusion that wraps everything up in a way befitting a drama and less befitting a Jim Carrey comedy.

There also just isn't much substance here. Characters make obscene phone calls. They have sick fantasies. They hurt others and themselves. The lesson that loneliness and desperation breed perversion is hammered into our heads with one shock after another. We learn that seemingly banal and normal families have skeletons. We learn that a child masturbating is funny. We learn all of his and more, but what is the point? Don't waste your time here trying to find one. It's all shock and no substance. The material is better handled in "American Beauty", a more mainstream and also flawed but far superior film.

If "American Beauty" is rented out or something, or there is nothing else on cable, watch this. You won't be bored but you certainly will not be enlightened.

On another note, I very strongly recommend the director's prior film, "Welcome to the Dollhouse" which is quite easily one of the greatest and most perceptive movies about teenagers.

Gruesome

[mikelepost · 4/10 · 18 May 2009]

Happiness is a gruesome and uncomfortable drama about sexual dysfunction, focusing mainly on three characters: a 30-something woman who lives with her parents and attracts romantic disaster; a schlubby office drone who can't speak to his sexy neighbor so he masturbates while making obscene phone calls; and a seemingly normal therapist who lusts after his son's pre-pubescent friends. Forget the "dark comedy" label - I found almost nothing even remotely funny in the movie and in fact the overall effect was completely depressing. Happiness is an interesting movie but it wasn't funny or entertaining in the traditional sense of the word and it's nothing I'd ever want to see again.

At times, the film felt like a hollow exercise in wallowing in the misery of the characters; I imagined the main protagonists as ants and the writer/director sitting there with a magnifying glass, making them burn. Their humiliations are sometimes played for laughs in ways that didn't always work. Jon Lubitz's bitter opening monologue after he's dumped - hilariously awkward. Faux happy music playing when another character is on his way to raping a pre-teen? Err, no. The material is too serious to treat in such a cavalier way. Really, Happiness reminded me of The Ice Storm, except that movie addressed similar themes in an intelligent way with real characters and asked us to take the situation seriously. The Ice Storm also offered a glimmer of redemption, which struck me as far truer to life than the empty nihilism on display here.

Happiness wants to rub our nose in the sordid details - was there any reason to show two separate scenes of dripping cum? - but doesn't really have much to say. The film is very well-acted and it's certainly interesting so it's worth watching. I just think a movie this deliberately offputting needs to have a stronger message than "We're all an F'ing mess."

Polarizing

[drosse67 · 10 September 2004]

There are only a handful of films that have a distinct polarizing affect on the audience--A Clockwork Orange, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, and I would even lump in American Beauty--these are movies you either get, or you don't. And if you don't get it, you will hate it. Open minded viewers need only apply, and that's certainly the case with "Happiness." I remember leaving the theater absolutely shocked, and not just because of the events on screen. I was shocked that I found the movie so intelligent and oddly entertaining. The actors surely must have felt that, after reading the screenplay. And there are some big actors in this--veterans like Ben Gazzara, Louise Lasser, Elizabeth Ashley, mixing with new talent like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Camryn Manheim, Dylan Baker, Lara Flynn Boyle, etc.

The subject matter is truly unsettling--a parental figure, respected in his community, does some horrible things, and this is the main reason why so many people have a hard time with this movie. Did this material really need to be examined in modern cinema? Well, yes--in the same way that David Lynch had to explore it in Blue Velvet. Happiness is a masterpiece of irony (even in the title), and finds humor in the most unusual and downright bizarre circumstances. You will not see another movie like it. Guaranteed. And fair warning--you could very well despise it. And it's probably a fair estimate that its writer/director, Todd Solondz, doesn't give a damn.

A Masterpiece of Black Comedy

[tylerwoodrownichols · 10/10 · 20 March 2019]

Happiness is one of my favorite films of all time. I feel compelled to echo the sentiment of other viewers who have stated that this film is not for everyone and is certainly not suitable for children/families under any circumstances. I love black humor, and the comedy herein is as dark as it gets. But it is dark comedy with a purpose, there is satirical subtext at every turn. It manages to get laughs out of taboo subject matter without ever feeling like it is mainly going for shock value, a feat that I've rarely seen anyone else pull off. I've seen Happiness at least 5 times, and with each viewing I pick up on things I'd never noticed before. The attention to detail is jaw-dropping; every single plot element has purpose, as does every line of dialogue. I honestly believe that in the coming decades this film will be seen as a classic of sorts, and if you can get past the heavy subject matter you will be highly rewarded for the time you invest in watching it. It's a masterpiece.

A seriously disturbing watch

[niels2765 · 8/10 · 11 March 2020]

A truly disturbing film, yet was never graphic nor striking. It was disturbing due to the sheer empathy I felt for characters who commit unspeakable acts throughout the film. A hilariously depressing film (ironic as well), Happiness is remarkably well-written, with multiple plot lines interconnecting to one another to highlight the unhappiness in these characters lives. Happiness pokes fun at the ignorance of 'happy' people in the world and all the characters, despite being so pathetic and narcissistic, are incredibly relatable. I got a lot out of this film and its worth the watch.

WTF was this movie???????

[szatmaridzs · 8/10 · 12 February 2022]

I never see a movie like that, and i probably never will. It is so unique and so weird at the same time. I don't really get everything, but i see the brilliance here, so i have to say it: this is a masterpiece ( or something like that).

Hitting the right note!

[rotildao · 9/10 · 27 May 2008]

Another psychologically visceral film that pinches the nerve of human society. I am still not quite sure which one is darker: the human unconscious, the dark basements of our fears, or hypocrisy, the attics of our warmest intents.

Todd Solonz' masterpiece slaps you in the face and laughs about it. The film transcends the meaning of the word "dark" or "bizarre" into "daily" or "humane". Dysfunctional families have been a common topic since Oedipus and Hamlet to 400 Blows, Ordinary People, and many others; however, times change and human needs do also (socially, economically, and emotionally). Behaviors, laws, and what I understand as "common sense" act hand in hand with interpretation of our unconscious needs. And historical transition periods are relevant to understand these human recycling needs, which are very present here as chaotic and real as possible.

Happiness is a mind-bending experience that reveals, surprises, and causes great reflection. Hopefully for some, this "therapeutic" film might result in some real life happy moments for it hits the right note with the right prescription.

340 comments?! There has to be something about this film..:)

[maxpower3141 · 6/10 · 10 October 2003]

So I guess this one will be the 341st comment. Surely everything there is to be said about this film is already said in the 340 comments made before this one - therefore I'll just try to somewhat summarize my own feelings about the movie and try to analyze a bit why it is so controversial..;) Don't worry - I'm not turning this to Psychology lesson (I am not a humanist! :) (at least in that way that I'd study or practice psychology, philosophy, history etc..)

For me this movie seemed actually quite boring - there really wasn't really any story or plot, which are essential to me. Because really - if there isn't a plot to a film then what's the point? Nothing, it's just a bunch of stuff that happens (that they show to us) - for no reason. Of course one might argue that the point of this film is to criticize the very human nature, but so what? We all know (hopefully) what it is and after taking that away from the movie - what's left? Nothing.. Ok, there is good acting but I think that good acting is a prerequisite for a good movie, not something that would transform a hollow movie into a good one.

It's also a very linear movie: practically everything the characters are thinking is laid out for you to see and as a result, there are very few surprises and things that make you think - Another reason why I thought it was boring, since there is no room for your mind to wander: this is how it is and that's final - sounds like a High School teacher..:)

Ok, let's summarize: Happiness is a disturbing, but boring film. The main reason that I thought it wasn't good is that there really is no story to tell. What I think is the reason that so many people have praised it is that the the ideas are laid out very easily - it's like "disturbing pictures for dummies" and as empirical tests have shown: the majority of people are dummies. (ok I know I'm going to receive loads of hatemail for that one, but Even our old friend Albert Einstein said that in the Universe there are only two things that are infinite: the Universe itself and human's capability to be ignorant. And he wasn't even sure about the Universe..) Besides there are a lot of films that deal with similar (disturbing) subjects (sex, human behaviour) with much more style (and a good story), such as: Dr. Strangelove, Clockwork Orange, Twelve monkeys, Tokyo fist, Thesis, Braindead (this one at least made me laugh), 8mm, Audition and so on... (I think all those movies were better than Happiness)

One thing: I didn't say that the movie was all bad, actually it was ok, not excellent and a bit boring - that's all. And also it could be (and most probably in some of your opinion is) that I simply didn't get it, but I can't see how I could have missed it. (Since in my own opinion, I got all those movies I mentioned above and they all seem harder than this one).

Thanks for your interest in my thoughts, Max.

A Real Movie

[dfranks-99376 · 10/10 · 29 July 2016]

This movie is basically the film American Beauty thinks it is. While American Beauty comes across as a rather juvenile take on the underbelly of society. Happiness tackles the kind of things others shy away from yes there are a couple of scenes I found unnecessary or too graphic i.e the dog licking scene. However, overall this is such a thoughtful well written and subtlety acted movie. This leaves the audience thinking. It is very funny and yes at times serious and hard to watch but if the cinema were filled with more of these kind of movies it would be better for it. Also it's a shame that independent brilliant movies like these are seen by so few when so many watch and praise pretentious crap like American Beauty. People who claim this is dark, bleak and depressing are missing the point. This film has humour but not the typical three Stooges sledgehammer American humour. If you like dramas with black humour and are tired of watching bad actors overact in predictable movies, see this film.

Drenched in LA style-think, tries to come off as NJ, fails, but still very interesting.

[dilbertsuperman · 7/10 · 24 January 2010]

This is a VERY messed up movie, and the script is VERY LA.. about midway through the movie I realized they were trying to pretend they were New Jersey inhabitants... /facepalm for that fail. If you ignore that stupid detail the movie is a number of different stories tied to together by one dinner table/family in search of "Happiness" in relationships, but since they are so very very messed up in the head, they tend to attract what they are.

Some of the thematic elements are going to sicken or disturb sensitive viewers, so don't watch it if you are easily offended.. there's nothing visually graphic, but the topics are a bit icky.

I especially enjoyed Jon Lovitz's speech at the restaurant.. that was pretty epic. This is a drama, not an action flick, and it's not a good date movie since it covers the failure of relationships.

Smashingly Powerful, Awfully Disturbing, and Unbelievably Hilarious!

[framptonhollis · 10/10 · 8 March 2016]

In "Happiness", director Todd Solondz manages to craft a true masterpiece that will definitely make some people a bit too uncomfortable to really like or enjoy. "Happiness" is certainly not for the easily offended or disturbed, since it deals with some very mature and unsettling subject matter such as perversion, rape, pedophilia, murder, depression, etc. "Happiness" also surprises us by making the whole thing a comedy. A really, really dark comedy-but still a comedy.

The dialogue is absolutely magnificent. As I said, this is a truly dark comedy, so there's plenty of really, really messed up and disgusting lines of dialogue throughout this film that made me howl with laughter, and some are even hidden in really depressing sequences. Solondz's film manages to be an emotional roller coaster, filled with sequences that are simultaneously funny and cold, and it all somehow manages to work.

Performances are also pretty great. Each of the actors really becomes their character and reflect the deep sadness in this film. As one can easily tell, most of the characters in this film are severely lacking in any happiness whatsoever (making the title really ironic), and this film is their journey to find true happiness-and a lot of them, sadly, don't.

The film is really spectacular in every sense of the word. From the cynical, twisted sense of humor, to the more emotionally touching scenes-"Happiness" is a masterpiece in every sense of the word, no matter how sick, vile, or disturbing it really is.

Extremely Daring, but Falls Flat

[diffusionx · 6/10 · 17 March 2001]

I give Todd Solondz an awful lot of credit for this movie. In it, he puts some incredibly powerful (and sensitive) issues at work, and he does so without ever giving in or copping out. And there is a lot of powerful stuff in this movie. For this, he gets a lot of credit. This is very much an ensemble piece, which weaves in and out of various different storylines, all of which do shed light into the personalities of the different characters. Each of the actors do a very good job with their roles, especially Dylan Baker (who played Bill Maplewood) In both of these manners, this is a remarkable movie.

Unfortunately, this is not a remarkable movie, for a few different reasons. It's not a great looking movie, but that's not a huge problem. Happiness just doesn't seem to come together... it just kind of sits there, unable to pull together all of its different threads into one remarkable whole. As such, Happiness misses the mark - and all thats left is a few remarkably powerful sequences (like when Bill talks to his son about the incidents) that dont really become anything truly great.

Something Off About It

[Pozdnyshev · 4/10 · 7 August 2014]

I watched this movie when I was a film school student. It was brand new, hot out of distribution, and I'd heard of Todd Solondz as a filmmaker who dared to make "different" films, which I figured meant "superior."

See, it worked as entertainment, the acting and photography was fine. And yeah, it WAS "different." A pedophile is shown in a sympathetic light. Some fat loser uses his own jizz to stick pictures to the wall of his tiny studio apartment. Yeah, that's different.

But what was the point in showing us all this sh*t? And why is it even entertaining to watch? Because the movie conditions me to think that this is reality, and that I should join the director in being comfortable with reality. Like, if these sick situations are so common that all these people are having them at once, then I should be cool with it and be a little proud of how this movie enlightened me.

It's scary how they pulled this off. Young and impressionable, I ignored how disgusting and bereft of meaning this movie was because it LOOKED good and I understood it was "hip." I ate it up and almost fifteen years later, the foul aftertaste still lingers in the back of my mind.

Ugh. Everything's propaganda now. I have had my share of sickness, and this movie isn't "groundbreakingly truthful," I think it's the director trying to convince everyone else of his deeply cynical and unrealistic view of middle- class America.

Also, I don't know how this would play out in reality, but I doubt that a little boy getting sodomized by a grown man during a drugged stupor would just wake up the next morning without being being very upset and in a lot of pain. Exploiting child rape and trying to pull it off like it's dark comedy, there should be a name for that. Something that means "vapid and often offensive bullsh*t masquerading as having substance." I think "hipster crack" is a good enough term.

There's just something off about it, something fake, something truly sick and immature. Like a friendly kid who wears expensive clothes and has lots of cool stuff, but when you visit his house he wants to play by torturing cats.