On the Big Board |
Position |
Staff |
In Brief |
87/125 |
Dan Krovich |
Some funny moments, but no emotional impact. |
Don Roos, the auteur behind the acerbic 1998 classic Opposite of Sex, returns with this multi-arc character study.
Happy Endings, a seemingly innocent but in reality quite vulgarly named production, follows the lives of ten Los Angeles residents involved in three main storylines as they experience an eventful few days.
The first of the three plotlines follows a 30-something woman played by Lisa Kudrow (who was also sublime in Opposite of Sex), who gave up her son for adoption 19 years before. When the woman is offered the opportunity to see how the boy has turned out, she jumps at the opportunity. Unfortunately, there is a catch. The person who knows where the son lives will only re-introduce the family if he is allowed to document the union on camera.
As if the separated mother doesn't have enough going on, she has recently heard rumors about her boyfriend. He is alleged to be giving out "happy endings" on the job. For a masseur, this would indicate sexual gratification through manual masturbation of a client. Dirty, eh?
Elsewhere in the city, the other two stories play out as a father Goodfella Ray Liotta and his son happen to be dating the same woman, everyone's favorite naughty Secretary Maggie Gyllenhaal. At the same time, two other couples are dealing with the ramifications from their recent discovery that one of the men may have fathered a child for the other couple.
Also included in the stellar cast is Bobby Cannavale, the scene stealer from The Station Agent. Jesse Bradford, currently annoying millions as the unbelievably gifted intern on the West Wing, has been cast as the blackmailing filmmaker. The presence of Phoebe, the voice of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and the well-natured coffee salesman is enough to offset his presence, though. (David Mumpower/BOP)
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