Happiness (1998)

One of the best comedies in the last 28 years
Maybe it's the talent of the cast that makes this film so utterly brilliant, or the combination of that and the subject matter, along with the theme and the questions raise. Happiness, what makes you happy? Because whatever it is chances are it doesn't work for someone else.

Solondz isn't asking you to pity or identify with any of these people; he's simply saying "here they are, watch; if you're offended, good for you, if you're not offended, good for you; but THINK about what you are or aren't offended." Not every film has a hero, not every film has good & bad concretely displayed for your pleasure; this is not Star Wars.

There aren't nearly enough comedies like this that require a great deal of thought put into the laughs, and the overall film. And sadly Solondz has yet to come even remotely close to the genius displayed here.

All the characters are fascinating, some more so than others, especially the impeccably portrayed pedophile psychiatrist, how Dylan Baker didn't get an oscar for this is beyond my understanding, and, of course, Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal of a timid random over the phone sexual harasser.

They're shallow, narcissistic, weak, whiny, revolting, disturbing, ugly and offensive; chances are, you know at least 2 people like someone in this film, and they're utterly happy.

One of the blackest comedies..
I Love this movie. I'm a HUGE fan of Todd Solondz. He always has such a great take on serious subject matter, for instance pedophilia and murder and suicide like in this flick. The opening scene is sooo hilarious, thanks to Jon Lovitz's performance. He has such a great line when he's telling Joy she's horrible, "You're s***, I'm champagne." And the whole family dynamic and how it's thrown up in hte air and turned upside down. The stereotypical nuclear family with a pedophile as a father, drugging his family to have his way with his son's friend. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is tremendous, he's the epitamy of pathetic. A charachter so boring even his therapist zones out on his session thinking of what he needs from the market. Being so frightend to talk to the beautiful woman next door, but calls her obsessivly. It has such a great cast, even the kids in the film are good. I find that every Solondz flick has good child actors, who could forget Heather Matterazzo in Welcome to the Dollhouse. Jared Harris is also good in this movie, he's such a chameleon. I highly recommend this film, if you're into extremely black comedy and aren't offended easily. Then by all means check out this movie.

To disgusting for its own good
I suspect my review for this film will not be a very popular one,certainly not from those that call this movie,brillant,daring,cutting edge,ext.Yet I do not want to pretend that this film didn't disgust me.I am not easily shocked believe it or not (and I don't expect anyone to but it is the truth) but this film is simply to much.I really do see the point in a general way of taking on such distasteful topics but this film does so with a casual depavity thats is disturbing to say the least.Really this film seems less concerned with adressing these topics in the serious way they should be and more concerned with simply shocking the viewer as much as possible.
I realize some call it daring and groundbreaking but I don't agree,there is a difference between ground breaking and just trying to make the sickest film you can for its own sake.Ultimately after watching this movie I found myself feeling very depressed and deciding I never wanted to watch this garbage ever again.
Happiness stars Dylan Baker as Dr. Bill Maplewood a sick beast of a man that dreams of murdering people and having sex with young boys and is broadly speaking about a trio of sisters and those around them including Cynthia Stevenson as his wife trying to believe all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds,Lara Flynn Boyle as an author not very satisfied with her success and facinated by the man that keeps making obscene phone calls to her(Philp Seymore Hoffman) who is also a patient of Dr. Maplewood and Jane Adams as a teacher who seems to go threw one humilation after another.
There is a nastiness to this film that really comes off as gratudious and there in lay the problem(well one problem really as there are many with this movie)the film making,the sheer,raw shock seems very forced and gives the film a contrived feeling.The director seems far more concerned with in your face shocks then anything else.It may look as if he is trying to hide that with the somehow casual atmosphere that lurks on the surface of the movie but that to is deeply contrived as you sit threw one depraved act after another.For example were not one but 2 scenes of shooting semen really so important to include?Also one cannot help but get the impression the film maker is subtly trying to show at least some sympathy for Dylan Bakers sick child molester and if anything thats the most disturbing thing of all about this movie as it goes without saying the charcter is not remotely deserving of sympathy.
The idea of adressing the topics Happiness does is not a bad one per say but not like this,this film wears its intent on its sleeve and beats you over the head with vile acts.In the end for all the claims of it being a ground breaking and daring movie the film wallows in depravity far to much and ends up defeating its own purpose,it does not break taboo's,or open dialogue about subjects people rarely discuss,it simply disgusts and horrifies.