Rating: 
Summary: One of the smartest black comedies around
Review: I am of the firm opinion that Jon Lovitz can signal nothing but good things about a movie, regardless of the size of his role. The fact that he appears in the very first scene is quite telling. In this superbly written black comedy, you’ll find a smorgasbord of human neuroses, from ..loneliness to personal failure in life. There’s a little something for all of us, and, as many people say, you’ll probably either love this movie for its unforgiving look at peoples lives and loves, or you’ll hate it for showing you what you don’t want to see. Solondz made some great choices in casting the film, allowing Philip Seymour Hoffmann to once again transform himself, this time into Allen, the bumbling, boring, and phonesex-obsessed oaf. Jane Adams seems to actually become the character of Joy Jordan, whose life is filled with anything but. And who could forget Dylan Baker’s part as brother in law to Joy, a psychiatrist with issues about [himself]. Don’t miss it.
Rating:
Summary: The Blackest of Black Comedies
Review: There are few movies today that really dive into the evils of our society. Happiness does this better than any movie to date. This film is disturbing in its subject matter, but the fact that you might actually know people like the characters in the film is even more disturbing. Solondz is not only out to shock you, but to make the viewer realize that these subjects he portrays in the film are actually happening. There are pedofiles out there, maybe nextdoor to you, maybe in your family. Children are thinking about masturbation at a young age. Relationships are ending in divorce. Happiness shows how cold people can be in today's society. This film will make you wince in some scenes, as well as laugh your head off. Most of the humor in my opinion comes from the music score. The film has all this chaos going on, and the music comes in as if everything is peachy, but isn't that how society is? People put on a mask from reality to hide their demons from the general public. This film is great in every aspect: acting, directing, and especially writing. Go see this film, expand your horizons and open your mind.
Rating: 
Summary: Dares to tread where others wouldn't go...
Review: This independent film is a soap opera that dares to tread in some heretofore unexplored places. Loosely, it follows a dysfunctional family through a variety of perverse situations. The father in the "perfect" family is a pedophile who is after his 11-year-old son's friends; another character is an obscene phone caller; and then there is the lonely sister-in-law who looks for love in all the wrong places. There's masturbation, shock value in most of the scenes, and lots of twists and turns to the plot. There's also some incredibly good acting and directing. However, the director, Todd Solondz, didn't seem to quite know whether to play this film for comedy or pathos and most of it is not funny, just sick and depressing. It moves too slow and is too long and even though the characters are interesting, they're cardboard cartoon sorry versions of human beings. Like other recent independent films, small parts are played by name people --Ben Gazarra, Louise Lasser and Marla Maples. None of their performances are noteworthy. However, the rest of the cast is excellent. Interesting, but not memorable, and certainly not for everyone.
Rating: 
Summary: I really didn't like this movie.
Review: Just wanted to rate this movie because I really didn't like it. It left a bad taste in my mouth.
Rating: 
Summary: American Beauty meets Magnolia
Review: This movie is a dull crossbreed between Magnolia and American Beauty, two great movies. Unfortunately, the movie is way to long, and is felt through the minutes of footage that didn't need to be there. About every 4 minutes something exciting and funny would happen, so you feel yourself hanging on to this 2hour+ movie waiting for the next explosion, which should happen more frequently.
Rating:
Summary: A challenging masterwork of pure genius
Review: Happiness is not a film for everyone; no doubt there are countless people who will find the subject matter in this movie offensive, so much so that they refuse to watch it. To them, I say that the material is SUPPOSED to be offensive, and to dismiss this film on those grounds is to deny yourself of one of the greatest films ever committed to celluloid. Happiness tells the interweaving tales of miserable people in miserable lives, failing miserably in their attempts to live out their dreams of happiness. Some of the characters are shallow, others deluded, and still others inhuman sociopaths. But what is remarkable about Solondz's writing and direction is that even the most reprehensible characters are painted with warm tones of humanity. A compulsive pedophile is also a loving father. An aggressive obscene phone caller is just a frail man who wants to be loved, but doesn't know how to reach out to others. It is this discordant duality that drives this film, providing laughs in the face of misfortune, and sympathy when there should be disgust. The result is a disturbing and profoundly affecting film that stays in your memory for weeks to come. Happiness is truly a landmark film.
Rating:
Summary: It's the director's problem, not ours
Review: As a young film whelp, I prided myself on having an iron stomach. I sought out "challenging" films like "Salo" and "I Spit On Your Grave" to prove to myself that there was no movie too dark for me to appreciate on its own merits. I don't know whether I got soft with age or just realized that real life has enough unpleasantness of its own, but I walked out of "Happiness" (just after Dylan Baker fantasized about gunning down people in the park, if that tells you anything), wise enough not to mistake the nausea that Solondz had successfully induced for anything like artistic accomplishment. Or, to put it in cruder terms, a sociopath can throw his excrement in your face but that doesn't make it a Pollock.
Rating:
Summary: SICKNESS
Review: For a long time I told myself, I could never watch this film. I had heard about some of the content(Pedofila), and just felt very disturbed by it. This movie was on late one nite on cable, and I decided I could stomach it. I just barely did. This is a film that revolves around the lives and happenings around three sisters. Many topics come into view..Rape, murder, robbery, casual sex, old people sex, masturbation, phone sex, stalking, divorce, and the one subject I think should never be used in a movie again after this one, PEDOFILIA... I will say that the acting overall was outstanding. Dylan Baker almost makes us feel sorry for him - sorry that he is a pedofile. When he tells his son what he does..that scene just had me so upset, why did the film maker have to put this in? I really don't think that it was necessary. One other part of this film that I have a comment on is the rape scene with Camryn Manheim. Okay, here is a woman, a huge woman, probably weighs at least 300 lbs. a little man rapes her? I am not buying it. The guy was probably 5 ft. tall, and weighed 140..she could have kicked him across the room. The whole scene where she tells Phillip Seymour Hoffman what happened after the rape just goes to show that some people are not missed when they are gone. and how did Lara Flynn Boyle find out about that? They never really tell us how she does. This film has some interesting scenes, but I think alot of it is just beyond disturbing. Some films are disturbing and I still like them. This one doesn't fall into that category. Why did the whole pedofile thing have to be involved? Just what is the filmmaker trying to say here? All I think is that he is just a sick individual. How anyone can find this film so outstanding is sickening..isn't there enough sick people out there already? I gave this film two stars for it's acting...it wasn't funny at all...it was kind of just a waste of talent. I don't recommend it, unless you are a very disturbed invididual.. Some people say you have to have an open mind to appreciate this movie, but I don't agree with that at all. I am very open minded and I like "artsy" kind of films. I liked Todd Solendz' first film, Welcome to the Dollhouse. It is a better movie, and is actually funny. I say watch that movie instead.
Rating:
Summary: Should have been banned! Total filth!
Review: This movie is nothing but a pile of garbage along with every single person involved in it with the exception of the children who were horribly used and exploited. For over two miserable hours I watched what critics called brilliant and a work of art. This movie should be stripped from the shelves and the people who wrote directed and starred should be ashamed of themselves and never allowed to work again. The parents who allowed their children to be a part of this immoral filth should be ashamed as well and their skills as parents questioned. This abomination of a movie borders on illegal activity and I just hope the kids in this movie suffer no ill effects for having been a part of it. I can't believe critics complain about movies like Battlefield Earth and the like then give garbage like this thumbs up. The only reason to enjoy this movie is to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and realize you are not so bad after all. Horrible and disgusting trash and I recommend this movie to no one. Avoid and boycott this at all costs!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Offenseive? Yes. Brilliant? Yes. Oh yes.
Review: I purchased this movie knowing only that it was comparable to the likings of "American Beauty", which happens to be my favorite film of all time. "American Beauty" did turn out to be easily compareable to "Happiness", but less graphic as well as less disturbing. "Happiness"'s cinematography presented the movie with a morbid yet funny element, as is shown in Bill Maplewood's dream. I knew from that moment fourth that I was in for a brilliant film. I was not disapointed at all. I reccomend this movie to mature audiences as well as indie film fans. 5 Stars.
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