Written by Luke Barnes
Happily is a dark comedy thriller film directed by BenDavid Grabinski. The film follows a perfect couple (Kerry Bishe and Joel McHale), who never argue, always agree and never cease to irritate those around them. However, one day a stranger (Stephen Root) arrives at their door to tell them that they are genetic abnormalities, and that he won’t leave until they take a syringe of fluid that will make them just like everyone else. Naturally they kill this man and then go on a staycation with their friends.
This was a bizarre film, and you only begin to understand and appreciate a lot of its subtler details if you watch it a few times as there is a lot going on. I think this is a bold stylistic piece with all kinds of visual influences on display, and a plot that defies genre categorisation; I gave it a try, but it is so much more.
That is not to say this film is perfect, as it isn’t, the ending didn’t ring true to me and felt like an anti-climax; especially after the emotionally charged scenes that lead up to it. Furthermore, the tone frequently clashes as the film struggles to find how to approach its narrative. There will be scenes with levity in them that really don’t need it, and then scenes that do need a line to lighten the mood go without; it is an odd mishmash a lot of the time. Tonally this film is a quagmire.
I thought the wider world of this film and its concepts were riveting and I would love to see a follow up film, or other films set within this same universe, to explore these ideas in further detail. The idea of this agent, or god like character, who can’t die and who works for a higher authority is very tantalising and is begging for further exploration.
Overall, a hell of a concept and an idea, sadly the execution is lacking. However, a follow up in this universe could fix a lot of this films ills.
Pros.
The concept
The world
The characters
Cons.
The inconsistent tone
The ending
3/5
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Another Millennial Reviewer 