Happiness (1998) Review

And here we go again, after watching some fairly convenient and "nice" movies I encountered another one that is anything but. Happiness by Todd Solondz is a poisonous little film that, like so many others before, looks into the dark soul of suburban USA. But what makes this film stand out from many others is that it is not afraid to touch dark topics without being exploitative. While other films such as Harmony Korine's Ken Park are more interested in just blatantly showing the perversions that happen behind white picket fences without any sort of context, Solondz's film is anchored by characters that are actually drawn out. We might not sympathize with their actions but at least we are able to understand them.

The story revolves around an array of characters that all are all seemingly normal in everyday life but have something dark to hide behind the misleading facade. There is the painfully awkward Philip Seymour Hoffman who is obsessed with making obscene phone calls and fantasizing about his next-door neighbor, played by Lara Flynn Boyle. There is a psychiatrist, played by Dylan Baker, who has a disturbing interest in young boys. I'm not gonna spoil it for, I think you get the idea.

As I said, what makes this film so special is not necessarily these crazy obsessions but moreover their treatment by the filmmakers. What we are presented with here are not freaks but people living their lives that don't make a big deal out of what they are doing, it's their day-to-day routine, looking for whatever makes them happy, as disturbing or shocking as this might be for the viewer.

Naturally this film caused a whole lot of controversy with its heavy sexual themes when it was released, especially after being awarded in Cannes. It was refused to play at Sundance and distributors avoided the film at any cost. So it is nothing short of a miracle that it was finally picked up and, while not a commercial success, got a lot of recognition by critics and respected awards.

But is it actually any good? Well, that's a tough question to answer. It is definitely not bad but it surely is a tough watch. Saying it was good would imply that it is enjoyable and that's probably the last word I would think of if I would have to describe the film. Watching Happiness is a poisonous experience and makes you think about it long after the credits have rolled but it should be rewarding for everyone who is able to look beyond what is shown on the surface.