Happiness . Newcity Chicago . 10-12-98

Happiness

DIRECTED BY: Todd Solondz

REVIEWED: 10-12-98

If you haven't heard why "Happiness," the new film from Todd Solondz, writer-director of "Welcome to the Dollhouse," is already notorious, you will soon. Solondz makes a major leap from his earlier picture, in formal and tonal control, in the unflinching starkness of its comedy, and in development of his own vigorous voice.

In depicting the wildly unsuccessful attempts of its large cast of characters, centered around three New Jersey sisters, to find the title state of mind, Solondz has made an extraordinary film that divided its early viewers between finding it intelligent yet twisted, or delicate and ultimately compassionate.

There's a scene where Jane Adams, as the most dumped-upon of the sisters, sits alone, strumming a naive little song called "Happiness." A great irony comes from the song popping up under the end credits, sounding catchy, "covered" by Michael Stipe. "Right, right, right. That was fun," Solondz says. "A friend of mine wrote the song for me for the movie, made to order for the character. Then there was the idea that Joy's song gets picked up by R.E.M., by Michael Stipe, y'know. It's pretty catchy." Like the duet, "I'm Not Worthy," between Squeaky Fromme and Mark David Chapman in Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins," it's faux-naif parody seventies soft pop that turns into something lovely. "That's the thing, the funny thing about these songs. Say you hear Air Supply [who are heard in the movie]. On a certain level, the first time you hear the song, you say, 'Aghhh, it's kitsch, schmaltz, all of that.' Then you hear it fifteen more times on the radio and you have to say, 'Omigod, I'm moved, I'm crying from this.' Then you hear it thirty more times, and you say, 'I'm going to jump out the window if I hear it one more time.' The reason there's a strong response is that these songs do get at the circuits in our brain. They do play with us. There's contempt on one hand and slavish adoration on the other. You feel like it's unearned. 'Look you don't have the right, I'm crying but that's not fair!' It's like watching a cheesy movie about a poor child with a terrible illness; you're weeping, but you know the whole thing is manipulating, hitting all those circuits."

--Ray Pride

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Other Films by Todd Solondz
Welcome to the Dollhouse

Film Vault Suggested Links
Henry Fool
The Adventures of Sebastian Cole
Polish Wedding

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