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Happiness (1998)
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Overview
User Rating:
Your Rating:
Director:
Writer:
Todd Solondz (writer)
Release Date:
16 October 1998 (USA)
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Plot:
Three middle-class New Jersey sisters all have their problems with their families and sex lives. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Sister
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Restaurant
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Marriage
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Parent
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New Jersey
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Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe.
Another 9 wins
&
12 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(63 articles)
The Notable Films of 2010: Part Six
(From Dark Horizons. 27 December 2009, 10:09 AM, PST)
The Notable Films of 2010: Part Six
(From Dark Horizons. 27 December 2009, 10:09 AM, PST)
(From Dark Horizons. 27 December 2009, 10:09 AM, PST)
The Notable Films of 2010: Part Six
(From Dark Horizons. 27 December 2009, 10:09 AM, PST)
User Reviews:
A compelling watch, which will both amuse and seriously disturb
more (470 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Jane Adams | ... | Joy Jordan | |
| Jon Lovitz | ... | Andy Kornbluth | |
| Philip Seymour Hoffman | ... | Allen | |
| Dylan Baker | ... | Bill Maplewood | |
| Lara Flynn Boyle | ... | Helen Jordan | |
| Justin Elvin | ... | Timmy Maplewood | |
| Cynthia Stevenson | ... | Trish Maplewood | |
| Lila Glantzman-Leib | ... | Chloe Maplewood | |
| Gerry Becker | ... | Psychiatrist | |
| Rufus Read | ... | Billy Maplewood | |
| Louise Lasser | ... | Mona Jordan | |
| Ben Gazzara | ... | Lenny Jordan | |
| Camryn Manheim | ... | Kristina | |
| Arthur J. Nascarella | ... | Detective Berman | |
| Molly Shannon | ... | Nancy |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Todd Solondz's Untitled (USA) (working title)
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MPAA:
Rating surrendered; previously rated NC-17.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
134 min | USA:141 min (DVD)
Country:
Color:
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Canada:16+ (Quebec) |
Canada:18A (British Columbia) |
Canada:R (Alberta/Nova Scotia/Ontario) |
Singapore:R21 |
Argentina:18 |
Australia:MA (cable rating) |
Australia:R (original rating) |
Chile:18 |
Finland:K-16 |
France:-12 |
Germany:16 |
Hong Kong:III |
Iceland:16 |
Italy:VM18 |
Netherlands:12 |
New Zealand:R18 |
Norway:15 |
Portugal:M/18 |
Sweden:15 |
Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) |
Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) |
UK:18 |
USA:NC-17 (original rating: 1999) |
USA:Open (rating surrendered: 1999)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Premiere voted this movie as one of "The 25 Most Dangerous Movies".
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Goofs:
Factual errors: The number on top of Vlad's taxi is 5C19, while the license plate number is 8H69. On an actual New York City taxi, these numbers would match.
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Quotes:
Helen Jordan:
I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you.
Joy Jordan: But I'm not laughing.
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Joy Jordan: But I'm not laughing.
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Soundtrack:
Concerto for Guitar in D Major
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (470 total)
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Happiness - which centres around the lives of three sisters - Joy who's permanently unlucky in love, Helen a successful poet whose next door neighbour is obsessed with her and phones to explain this in graphic detail and finally there's Trish who has it all, a big house, a couple of kids and a successful psychiatrist husband who himself harbours uncontrollable urges.
The sisters are all somewhat fractured of mind - for example Lara Flyn Boyle's character plays an author suffering writers block bemoaning the fact that she wasn't abused as a child that could lend her work some authenticity - so she's delighted when she gets an obscene phone from a one of the many fat ugly sex obsessed dysfunctioning American neurotics that seem to be this seasons slim sexy movie star successes. Happiness manages to be truly provocative and also madly comical at one and the same time... for instance I never thought I could feel sympathy for a paedophile or a bloke making obscene phone calls but with tact and courage Happiness confronts these modern folk devils.
Happiness is anything but; as the characters lives intertwine in the search for happiness they find only loneliness, obsession and some serious psychological problems. In particular the psychiatrists story is remarkable with performances second to none as he tries to explain to his son about his paedophile tendencies.
Happiness explodes some of the fear related misconceptions showing that repression is the oppression of our generation... as if an open mind is just that. Open and willing for some perverted notion to crawl right in...
Directed by Todd Solondz Happiness is a slice of American life that isn't normally dealt with this honesty, making it a compelling watch, which will both amuse and seriously disturb for its two hours and fifteen minutes running time. Happiness is a must see.