Welcome to Happiness
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Somewhat likable but ultimately uneven comedy-fantasy.
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Welcome to Happiness
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What's the Story?
In WELCOME TO HAPPINESS, children's author Woody (Kyle Gallner) is stuck on his latest book. It doesn't help that he's also a kind of gatekeeper; in his apartment's closet is a tiny door, and behind it seems to be a way to undo past mistakes. Strangers come to his apartment, he reads them questions and shows them colored rocks, and they enter the door. Woody becomes increasingly obsessed with entering the door himself, much to the annoyance of his girlfriend, Trudy (Olivia Thirlby). Meanwhile, a rare baseball card connects two strangers and sets a new series of events in motion.
Is It Any Good?
It's hard to hate Oliver Thompson's debut feature; it's a truly heartfelt effort, but it's also not very good. Welcome to Happiness is an arrhythmic mess of ideas and scenes, sabotaged by a bad ending. The movie has an overwhelmingly positive attitude, and it might make viewers feel good about how "everything happens for a reason." But that's also the kind of positive attitude that can quickly grow annoying, like an over-eager puppy.
In a small role, Keegan-Michael Key has one or two funny moments, but Nick Offerman, also in a small role, seems wrongly cast. Scenes with minor characters, like the sad baseball card collector (Josh Brener) and the suicidal artist (Brendan Sexton III), seem dropped in almost at random, with no story flow. Likewise, most of the main plot threads seem to either stall or lurch ahead, and mediocre pop tunes are mixed in too loudly and too often. And the ending -- which feels like it's out of a Renaissance Faire -- just makes you want to scream.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violent incidents that happened in the characters' pasts. What's the general reaction to these events? How does hearing about these kinds of things compare to seeing them brought to life? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
How does Welcome to Happiness handle sex? What is the characters' attitude toward it? How much sexual content in media is appropriate for kids?
Do you agree with the movie's idea that "everything happens for a reason"? Why or why not?
Would you change an event from your past if you had the chance? What would it be, and why? How do you think it might impact your life?
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 20, 2016
- On DVD or streaming: May 16, 2017
- Cast: Kyle Gallner, Olivia Thirlby, Nick Offerman
- Director: Oliver Thompson
- Inclusion Information: Bisexual actors
- Studio: FilmBuff
- Genre: Comedy
- Run time: 108 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: thematic elements including some disturbing images, and brief sexuality
- Last updated: January 15, 2023
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