"It seems the things I've wanted in my life I've never had. And so it's no surprise that living only leaves me sad. Happiness, where are you? I've searched so long for you. Happiness, what are you? I haven't got a clue. Happiness, why do you have to stay... so far away... from me?" Synopsis: Happiness is an ensemble film revolves around three New Jersey sisters. Joy (Jane Adams), the black sheep of the family is thirty something single woman with a dead-end carrier and not much love life or ambition. Trish (Cynthia Stevenson) the eldest seemingly happily married with a perfect psychiatrist husband Bill (Dylan Baker) and has three kids, but they live in a sexless marriage, meanwhile Bill fantasize of killing people in the park, jerks off on boys magazine, then obsesses with his son's 11 year classmates. The third sister Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle), is a very successful and extremely desired writer, who is bored with herself and looks for an extreme experience to ignite her inspiration, meanwhile she is the object of the desire of her neighbor Allen (Phillip Seymour Hoffmann) whom in return is being obsessed over by his overweight and unattractive next-door neighbor Kristina (Camryn Manheim) who has some dark secrets of her own.The plot synopsis above might sound complicated but trust me when I say there is even more layers to this 2 hrs and 14 min film. The themes of the film are really dark, but they are treated in some lighthearted comedy. You'd catch yourself laugh in some inappropriate situations that you might feel uncomfortable. I must say that the acting in most parts is superb, especially by
Dylan Baker who play a pedophile psychiatrist in such a sympathetic way you can't help but feel sorry for him, he is just excellent.
"Billy Maplewood: [sobbing] ... would you ever fuck me?
Bill: No... I'd jerk off instead"Phillip Seymour Hoffman is also brilliant as the obsessed man who prefer to make perverted phone call to Helen but he can't muster the courage to talk to her or express his feeling.
Jane Adams and
Camryn Manheim in two unflattering roles did impressive job. The only one I didn't feel for was
Lara Flynn Boyle who was playing the same role she played years before in
Twin Peaks. She was not bad but she was not inspiring either.
The Writing and directing of the film by
Todd Solondz excellent, and the film moved briskly that the running time of 134 min didn't seem it. The music was good too. The film surrendered its rating of NC-17, which I assure you did earn it for thematic reasons. There is hardly any nudity and even the only sex scene was brief and not grotesque at all. This is not a hard film to watch, as I said it has such a sense of humor to help you swallow its bitter pill, so don't be detracted by its infamous reputation and go for it. I'd give it
4/5.
"You think I don't appreciate art? You think I don't understand fashion? You think I'm not hip? You think I'm pathetic? A nerd? A lard-ass fat-so? You think I'm shit? Well, you're wrong, 'cause i'm champagne, and you're shit. Until the day you die, you, not me, will always be shit."
