Not Another Happy Ending
By Tracy Moore,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Brit romcom about writer's block has brief nudity, clichés.
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Not Another Happy Ending
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Based on 1 parent review
Just a bit of nudity
What's the Story?
Author Jane Lockhart has written a great first novel, but her publisher and sometimes-lover betrays her when he tweaks the title behind her back. However, the book is a success, and now Jane must write another. The problem is, the book's runaway fame has given her a newfound happiness, and now she suffers from writer's block. To facilitate the flow, her publisher begins doing everything he can to make her miserable in the hopes that she can finish her second book and honor their contract.
Is It Any Good?
NOT ANOTHER HAPPY ENDING is shot beautifully, with Ireland as its backdrop. The characters are pretty vivid and quirky but often flat and lacking the necessary chemistry. But the premise here -- of a publisher finagling with his writer's everyday happiness so she will write better, aka more miserably -- is simply too fantastical to get behind, and it's a key component to the movie's major plot. Plus, the myth of the depressive author is just that -- a myth -- and here, the genre and its shorthand stereotypes about the writing life are missing the fresh take that might make this more memorable.
For aspiring writers, there isn't much to chew on here -- plus, the writing process doesn't exactly visually crackle, and here we get it in montage form a lot. Romantic comedy fans may enjoy the screwball love-hate relationship at the movie's center. But there are some heavy adult themes here: some casual sex, casual drinking, a bit of nudity, lots of profanity, and the all-around complexities of adult relationships. Best for older teens, but it doesn't knock any of its strengths out of the park.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Not Another Happy Ending portrays the life of an author. Why do you think so many movies portray writers as depressive types in complicated relationships?
Do you think this is an accurate portrayal of what it's like to be a writer? Why, or why not? What other movies have you seen about writers or the issues they face, and how do they compare? Do you think this movie makes writing look glamorous?
Do you think a publisher would ever mess with a writer's life to get the writer to write better? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: January 6, 2015
- Cast: Karen Gillan , Stanley Weber
- Director: John McKay
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Omnibus Entertainment
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Book Characters
- Run time: 102 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: June 19, 2023
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