Happy Endings Reviews

Ignore that other daft review! Excellent film!

I picked this film from the rental library based on the cast, and it was a really pleasant surprise. It is a character ensemble piece, with several inter-weaving storylines - nearly all of which I enjoyed a lot. Lisa Kudrow teams up with her Opposite of Sex director Don Roos, and gets another great role. I haven't taken to Maggie Gyllenhaal as much in any of her other roles, she was good here, and has a nice singing voice too.

UK fans, don't expect Alan Partridge, Steve Coogan does some proper acting, and actually does pretty well, without having to do too much.

The performances and characters are what really held my interest. Jason Ritter, Jesse Bradford, Tom Arnold are all good. Laura Dern and 24's Sarah Clarke are a little underused, but this in a really involving drama, with a few laughs too.

One thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the on screen comments telling us what was happening. A little annoying.

This is one for fans of Short Cuts or Magnolia, or anyone who enjoys interesting dramas.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Secrets and lies in California

Don Roos's obsession seems to be the corrosive effect of secrets and lies and also of truth, which can sometimes be even more damaging. He seems fascinated too by amoral women who use their sexuality ruthlessly, here Maggie Gyllenhaal taking the Christina Ricci part from 'The Opposite of Sex'.

The overlapping complexities of the plot sometimes stretch credibility (and patience, a little), and the sporadic pop-up texts with character notes grate very quickly; but at least this film doesn't fall into the predictable 'kooky' style of so many American indie films, partly because the acting is superb: pretty much everyone is convincingly portrayed. Steve Coogan - of all people - as a gay man poleaxed by the developments of his own search for the truth is unexpectedly good.

While not free of annoying aspects, it is an unusual and absorbing film. And there's a happy ending for almost everyone!

Bits and pieces...

This is a highly watchable and entertaining film, with lots of fine touches (Coogan's peformance in the encounter with the lesbian adopting couple is brilliant!) but it doesn't quite work as a whole unit - it kinda works as a set of very good cameos.

Lisa Kudrow is superb, even though I didn't really believe her passion about her son; Steve Coogan is a nastily messed-up gay man with issues; Maggie Gyllenhaal almost steals the whole thing playing a familiar role of deceitful egotist (her singing is fabulous!).

It was perhaps the fragmentedness which gave Director Don Roos the idea of having an authorial narrative written on-screen. It's not necessary; it just annoys you and you feel manipulated ('This is Mamie. You won't like her...')

The whole somewhat ludicrous plot-line is saved by a feisty script, some excellent acting and fine dramatic moments that stick in the memory!

A Comedy Of Sorts...

'Happy Endings' is a companion piece to the same director's 'The Opposite Of Sex'. Again with Lisa Kudrow, it presents a series of intertwining stories about exploitation with wit so dry that it's easy to miss altogether if you're expecting a broader comedy. It also has several great performances. Kudrow is impressive, particularly in her minuscule reactions to the casual unkindnesses of others; Maggie Gyllenhaal exudes a kind of languid but potent sexiness that was made for the movies; Tom Arnold is surprisingly symapthetic; and Steve Coogan, his accent lurching between Manchester and some undefined American region (he is supposed to be a Brit long in residence in the US), fits in better than you might think. But the real star is writer/director Don Roos who excels at deceptively laid back films like this. Very urbane entertainment.

Refreshingly different

Films like this don't come along very often. Although Steve Coogan's accent is amusing at times, you do forget that this is 'Alan Partridge'. Can't help thinking of 'Phoebe from Friends' while Lisa Kudrow is on, mind. Some very good performances overally and a highly enjoyable film that doesn't seem to drag despite it's two hour length.

Worth Watching

It seems like too many characters/plots are being set up at the start and you almost need to take notes. The 'pop-up' writing can be annoying at first but stick with it - once you get used to the style it's an excellent film with a good soundtrack as well - even steve coogan puts in a surprisingly decent performance.

How did this ever open for a Gay film festival?

No idea how this movie was ever financed, nevermind chosen as an opener for the film festival a couple of years ago. An absolutely waste of time is all I'll commit to say.

SIMPLY AMAZING

Happy Endings without a doubt is one of the best films I have ever seen (and I see a lot a lot of films). Without destroying the ending, I can tell you if you like American Beauty or Rules of Attraction you will love this movie, because it is a cut above the rest. RENT THIS. WITHOUT A DOUBT IT WILL ENGAGE YOU FROM THE FIRST SCENE WITH ITS EDGE AND HUMOR.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Bit hit and miss

This film is a bit hit and miss. Some bits work brilliantly and others you just wait to end. Personally, this kind of multi-strand storytelling, is better suited to television. That's the chief thing I felt whilst watching, put this in a four hour mini-series, give some more back story to some of the characters and let them go.

It wasn't as fun as The Opposite of Sex, with no Deedee uber-bitch to liven things up and supply a wry voiceover. The title-cards were twee as was the ending, but it still had a charm to it. The cast were good, the writing could have been crisper and one or two good one liners would have helped. I enjoyed it, but it's not a film I'd ever watch again.

Cracking film...

...ignore the other reviews. Its probably too subtle for them. The guy who said it wasn't funny obviously didn't realise that its not a comedy. Perhaps he should dust off his old Alan Partridge DVDs. Highly recommended !!