"Happiness" is a truly sordid slice
of life. Like "American Beauty" it savages the tidy
facade of mainstream America, but this movie is so much darker
and more frank, it makes "American Beauty" look like
a Disney pic. I kid you not.
I was amazed by how many different characters were able to coexist and weave their storylines through one movie at the same time. (A nearly 3 hour running time helped make room for 'em all.) Most of the people were pretty twisted, but so realistic that, God help me, I could see a bit of my life in nearly all of them. (There were a couple of characters I couldn't identify with quite so closely, for reasons that will be extremely obvious!)
Did I mention this film was dark? Oh, lord was it ever dark. Comedy just doesn't come any darker than this! It almost doesn't even qualify as a comedy because it's so damn dark, but there were laughs. This movie is more of a thinker than a giggler, but there were times I was caught so off guard, I actually dropped my jaw with amazement. Kind of like "There's Something About Mary" meets "Dead Man Walking".
This film is definitely not for the squeamish, but for the sharp story connoisseur, it is absolutely not to be missed. The writing and the acting and the overall film-crafting are all devastatingly well done and the impact is tremendous. I'm going to be thinking this one over for months.
"Happiness" gets a 100% endorsement from me. I consider it to be flawless. Please see this movie, give them your money. Just be sure you're in the mood for dark, because it sure ain't no trollop through the daisies.