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New Century of Cinema
DOWSE Guide to the
Movies
by Tony Lee editor of
Pigasus
Press
Happiness
Director: Todd Solondz
134 minutes (18) Entertainment
review by Gary Couzens
Happiness is the story of three sisters, Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle), Joy (Jane
Adams) and Trish (Cynthia Stevenson). Joy is perennially unlucky in love, Helen is
bothered by an obscene phone caller, Allen (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and Trish's
husband Bill (Dylan Baker) has a dark secret of his own. Much of the controversy
attached to this film is due to the subplot dealing with Bill, who is a paedophile.
This subplot (which doesn't take up a great deal of time in a lengthy film) is a
serious attempt to get into the mind of a man who is deeply sick, but also knows it
and can't control himself. The scenes of child abuse are off-screen, and the film
doesn't gloss over the enormity of his actions. However, in dealing with this subject
at all, Solondz (not to forget actor Dylan Baker) proves himself a filmmaker willing
to take considerable risks. There are moments when he seems to be looking down on his
characters, but they retain our sympathy, particularly Joy, eternally optimistic
despite life dumping on her from a great height. Compelling, brilliantly acted and
often blackly funny, Happiness is certainly not for everyone: children and
those unable to cope with its uncomfortable subject matter (which as well as
paedophilia and obscene phone calls includes scenes of masturbation as well) should
steer well clear. But those who can take it are in for a treat: this is one of the
finest films to come out of America in the last few years.
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