Another Happy Day

source: Another Happy Day

"Another Happy Day" is another story about how even the upper middle class well-off are still generally unhappy. It tries to give an honest portrayal of modern family life and in some places it succeeds and in other areas it fails. One of the positives for this film is that debut Sam Levinson seems competent enough and the shots within certain scenes work to deliver the story. The problem itself however is in the writing, which is somewhat sporadic. At moments it is decent and other times it may have you rolling your eyes and there are a few superfluous scenes. One example of the issues with the dialogue is that one scene the eldest son Elliot (Ezra Miller) seems like your average philistine and then the next scene he is giving philosophical insight into himself talking about "the intermittent stages of your life" and the detrimental breakdown of his sister and himself who is "turning into Glen Beck." Why is this young seemingly self-absorbed kid suddenly taking such an interest in politics that he is comparing himself to Glen Beck? The big fault in this movie is that sometimes the characters are speaking to themselves and other times, director-writer Sam Levinson is speaking at us. Perhaps if the director left the writing to a more developed writer who can deliver a well-written story that doesn't involve cheesy cat fights and writing that isn't as sporadic as the eldest son. 4/10

Devastating no holds barred snapshot of American Family Life (as it IS not as we wish it was) may be TOO honest and wickedly insightful for many people (who prefer a little more sugar coating...a little less hysterically funny battery acid wit....oh well LIFE Ain't SWEET...get over it!!). Producer Ellen Barkin leads an absolutely astonishing cast...(and both big names and not so big names are stunning..there is not one phony or soft pedaled second in ANYof these performances). Besides the devastating Barkin (who tackles every emotion like a starving woman with no thought for vanity...every thought for human insight and character clarity)the standouts include Ellen Burstyn as a grandma from hell with Bride Of Frankenstein hair that is the LEAST frightening thing about her character and the stunning young Ezra Miller (who gets more accomplished and electric with every performance. I am actually having a hard time fathoming how this was NOT granted a major wide release...and I simply do not understand the low ratings many "casual" viewers give it... Maybe it is a wee bit too challenging and unflinching? Oh well...stick with your pretty bubblegum fantasy families... THIS is life...and it may not be beautiful...but it burns with a glorious flame in every frame of this lovely film.

It's a terrible movie with no real plot and a family who all hates each other going at each other's throats for 2 hours straight. There are no sympathetic characters. The movie would have been improved considerably if they had all just died in a house fire.