Rating: 
Summary: One word for this movie: Hilarious!!!
Review: When my boyfriend and I rented this movie we thought it was the type of movie that would be on Lifetime that we could look down upon and make fun of. WERE WE EVER SO WRONG!!! This movie champions the sick sense of humor that so many of us teenage males have. It was a rollercoaster ride of astonishment and hilarity as we made fun of the pathetic woman and her dead end realtionships to the plight of the pedophile and his family. The movie is best summed up in that it contains the same amount of sexual material as Clockwork Orange had violence; but is much funnier than Clokwork Orange to the point at which it seems deliberately funny. Everyone should be able to relate to this because eveone knows somebody like the characters in this film. You will want to drink a lot of beer with your college buddies while watching this because you will only laugh that much harder.
Rating: 
Summary: Creepy
Review: Very good movie...I just wouldn't recommend you watching it in the same day as "Requiem For A Dream", or "Being John Malkovich" in fear of a brain melt. Maybe not even in the same week for those with weaker souls ha ha ha.
Rating:
Summary: It's an intriguing movie...
Review: I find it interesting that if you make a movie with people getting their heads blown off and their guts spread all over the ground most people don't even bat an eye. But, make a movie about a pederast and people want to form a lynch mob. Yes, horrible things happen in this movie. Guess what? Horrible things happen in real life. I think the whole point of this movie was to show some people trying to be happy, but going about it in all the wrong ways. I think another thing that bothers most people about this movie is that most of the characters are presented (initially) as "normal" people, but we end up seeing them for "horrible, depraved sickos" that they are. The problem lies in the "fact" that depraved sickos aren't allowed to be "normal." We're "normal." Depraved sickos wear hockey masks and do horrible things like in those other movies. They don't hold down jobs and have families, etc. I'm not sure why I'm even writing this "review" except to say that I think this is a great, challenging movie. The acting is awesome, the plot is interesting, and the problems are real. I also wanted to comment on another reviewer's statement that the scene with the boy and his father at the end of the film was pointless. I felt that was one of the most crucial, and moving, scenes of the entire film. Here we have a man who does, what we would consider incorrigible things, but he could never consider doing those things to his own son because he loves him so much. I'll be .....! A pedophile with a heart? Nah...
Rating:
Summary: Hard to watch
Review: I must admit I never expected to be this disturbed by a film from the USA. The director, Todd Solondz's ability to provoke such a reaction can only be an expression of his masterful filmmaking ability, however no-one should expect to like this film. It is not entertaining. But it is life. Whereas others seem to be able to sympathise with Bill Maplewood, or pity him, I'd be more inclined to sympathise his son's friend. All things considered, the kid has not much of a hope for the future. I give this movie a very high rating but stress that it is not at all enjoyable. It shows us things we'd rather not see, and every single character could actually exist, and probably does. The bottom line is we need movies like this, that open our eyes and show those of us who don't know from experience how harsh the world can be.
Rating:
Summary: It was about time for a dose of reality
Review: in a sense happiness was the best film of 98' although saving private ryan was altogether better and will have a much longer lasting effect. happiness is a story, actually stories, about everyday people and what drives them. we open the movie with a descently funny scene with john lovitz getting dumped by his even bigger loser girlfriend. great opener for this movie, because with the PG rated opener we then move to the NC-17 remainder of the movie. the next scene we have a closeup of philip hoffman's character explaining in calmly violent detail of what he would like to do,sexually, to his very attractive neighbor laura flynn boyle. we stare in disgust at this person who is being honest with his pyschiatrist about what he feels, and that he will never fullful these fantasies because he is too boring. the camera then flashes over to his psychiatrist who is currently zoning out thinking of the remaining days activities.
great writing and directing from solondz. thats pretty much all i can say about him, he has always been good and will continue to be good. this movie is better than welcome to the dollhouse on many scales, perhaps due to the scenes with dylan bakers character which keeps us glued to the screen. word of advice, somthing i noticed about all of the other reviews given on this movie, the couch scene with the pedophile and his son was probably the most disturbing, blindsiding, and brilliant scene i have viewed in a while. for the advice, dont see this movie unless you want to be absolutely shocked with the climax of this film. i am not easily amused or caught off guard by movies, but the couch scene had me telling the screen i couldnt believe what i just witnessed. he doesnt do anything physically to his son instead he answers honestly and calmly and the last thing he tells his son is so outrageously absurd, yet we get the feeling he is just telling the truth. disturbing. brilliant. indellible. go see this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Revolution
Review: This movie is total brilliance because it deals with people who are inately self involved and their demented quest for happiness. It has a script that is so sharp and poignant that you will be thinking about it for weeks. It's revolting and beautifully truthful at the same time. See this movie because it will make you realize how crazy this world is.
Rating:
Summary: What works really works...
Review: Though not everything in this film works perfectly, enough of it does work to make it a satisfying experience. The truly remarkable part of this film is that the characters are real; not the "lovable" and innocent Joy (a character I despised) or the perky and stereotypical middle class wife (a flat character throughout), but the supposedly bad characters. The pedophile (played excellently by Dylan Baker) and Hoffman's phone stalker are both normal, sympathetic people. They're not monsters that live a life of drugs and sin as these types of characters are often portrayed. What people don't like about this movie, I suspect, is its truth: pedophiles and the like are real people who very well could be the well dressed person next door. They have problems, yes, but they're still human, and it's refreshing to see a movie portray them as such (it does not glorify them at all, though). This isn't a fun film, it's not even necessarily entertaining (though there are several scenes that are funny), but it's human.
Rating:
Summary: The Most Disturbing Film Of All Time
Review: Happiness is a great black comedy/drama it is by far one of the best films of all time. The film pushes the limites so far dealing with subjects most films want even touch. Most studios wouldent even disturbute the picture cause of its content it is rated NC-17 for a reason. But the film is true and honest possibly the most honest film ever made Todd Solondz made a great and honest picture. The DVD is good you get the NC-17 version pluse good sound and picture quality. WARNING: This film contains Extremely Graphic Prolonged Adult Thems including thems of Rape,violence,Pedophiling,Masturbation,Sex,Language,and other graphic disturbing subject matter.
Rating:
Summary: Important moive
Review: This movie elicits so many emotions from the viewer...laughter, anger, sympathy, disgust, and when its over it stays in your head for days. The casting is excellent, notably Dylan Baker and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. The subject matter is intense, and the humor is as black as it gets, but this is an important movie that should be seen by everyone that can look past the shocking surface.
Rating:
Summary: A sleeper!
Review: Just happened upon this movie on TV, never having heard of it earlier. It is a classic movie with topics not ordinarily seen in movies, superbly acted. It is a movie about common people with uncommon problems. Often the viewer can laugh and cry simultaneously. Sexuality is discussed openly and yet appropriately. Many moving scenes.
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