The Happys

The Happys is an American narrative film written and directed by Tom Gould and John Serpe, commercially released in 2018 after screening at a dozen film festivals in the United States, winning the Alternative Spirit Award at Rhode Island International Film Festival,[2] the Best Narrative Feature award at the Durango Independent Film Festival,[3] the Audience Award at the Anchorage International Film Festival,[4] and a nomination for the Best Feature Award at the Naperville Independent Film Festival in Naperville, Illinois.[5] The movie's public premiere took place in California on March 16, 2018.[6]

The Happys
Film poster
Directed byTom Gould and John Serpe
Written byTom Gould and John Serpe
Produced byWill Bethencourt
Dave O'Brien
Morgan R. Stiff
StarringAmanda Bauer
Jack DePew
Janeane Garofalo
Melissa McBride
Rhys Ward
Arturo Del Puerto
CinematographyPhilips Shum
Edited byTerel Gibson
Music byPat Sansone
Distributed byIndican Pictures[1]
Release dates
Running time
87 minutes
CountryU.S.
LanguageEnglish

Plot

A midwestern boyfriend and girlfriend move to California so that the young man may pursue a career as an actor. The young woman walks in on her boyfriend when he is having an affair with another man. After that, they face challenges in their careers and personal lives as the young woman seeks her own direction, with the friendship and support of eclectic neighbors in their neighborhood, Los Feliz (which roughly translates to "The Happys").[7]

Cast

Production

When Gould and Serpe completed the script of The Happys, Gould sent the script to Garofalo and met her for coffee, and she agreed to play Luann[11] even though Garofalo saw the character as completely dissimilar to herself.[12] In March 2015, a crowdfunding campaign was created to raise funds for the film's production costs.[13] When crowdfunding was under way, Garofalo allowed her name to be used in promotion and made jewelry to help raise funds.[11] At the close of the crowdfunding campaign, $73,620 had been raised by 619 contributors.[13] The Happys was filmed in Los Angeles, with principal photography completed in April 2015, and post-production finalized in July 2016.

Release

The Happys premiered in August 2016 at the Rhode Island International Film Festival, where the film won the Alternative Spirit Award.[2] In October 2016, The Happys was an official selection in Taste of Film program at the MiFo Outshine Film Festival in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.[14] In November 2016, The Happys was an official selection at the St. Louis International Film Festival, in St. Louis, Missouri,[15] and the Reedy Reels Film Festival in Greenville, South Carolina.[16] At the Anchorage International Film Festival in December 2016, The Happys won the Audience Award.[4]

In February 2017, The Happys was an official LBGTQ films selection at the Oxford Film Festival in Oxford, Mississippi,[17] and an official selection at the Sedona International Film Festival in Sedona, Arizona.[18] In March 2017, The Happys was awarded the Best Narrative Feature award at the Durango Independent Film Festival, Durango, Colorado,[3] and was an official selection at the Green Mountain Film Festival in Montpelier, Vermont.[19]

In April 2017, The Happys was an official selection at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival in Dubuque, Iowa,[20] and at the Phoenix Film Festival in Scottsdale, Arizona.[21] The Happys was nominated for the Best Feature Award in September 2017 at the Naperville Independent Film Festival in Naperville, Illinois.[5]

The theatrical premiere of The Happys took place on March 16, 2018 in California.[22][23]

Critical reception

Responding to festival screenings of The Happys, critics called the movie "one ironically fun film about what it means to be happy"[24] that "jumps fearlessly into its subject matter."[25] Variety described The Happys as a "middling work,"[26] The Hollywood Reporter wrote that it is a "quirky, insiderish L.A. dramedy,"[27] the Los Angeles Times said it was "a cutesy classic Hollywood tale adapted for modern times,"[6] and The Advocate called The Happys "charming and thoughtful."[12]

References
  1. "Happys, The". Indican Pictures. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  2. "RIIFF Awards - 2016 Film Festival Award Winners Announced". Rhode Island International Film Festival. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  3. "Congratulations to our 2017 Festival Winners!". Durango Independent Film Festival. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  4. "Films Worth Freezing For". Anchorage International Film Festival. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  5. "Our Nominees and Award Recipients". Naperville Independent Film Festival. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  6. Walsh, Katie (15 March 2018). "Lightweight comedy 'The Happys' lives the Los Feliz dream, sort of". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  7. Erbland, Kate (23 November 2016). "Making It in Hollywood Takes An Unexpected Turn in Charming Festival Favorite". IndieWire. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  8. Sneider, Jeff (4 August 2015). "Amanda Bauer, Jack DePew Join 'Walking Dead,' 'Wet Hot' Stars in 'The Happys'". The Wrap. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  9. Owens, Steve (8 February 2018). "Walking Dead Actor Explodes Onscreen in ... "The Happys"". Entertainment World. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  10. Sneider, Jeff (30 July 2015). "'The Returned' Star Rhys Ward Lands a Lead Role in Indie Movie 'The Happys'". The Wrap. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  11. Parker, Melissa (1 March 2018). "Janeane Garofalo Interview: "There's Nothing Really Anyone Could Say to Penetrate Not Just Trump but the Republican Party"". Smashing Interviews.
  12. Anderson-Minshall, Diane (16 March 2018). "Janeane Garofalo Is Still the Voice of My Generation". The Advocate. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  13. Serpe, John (8 March 2015). "THE HAPPYS: a feature film with Janeane Garofalo". Indiegogo. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  14. "A Taste of Film". MiFo Outshine Film Festival. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  15. "The Happys - Schedule". St. Louis International Film Festival. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  16. Hyde, Paul (2 November 2016). "Preview: Reedy Reels Film Fest moves to Peace Center". Greenville News. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  17. "LGBTQ Films". Oxford Film Festival 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  18. "Festival Programme". 23rd Sedona International Film Festival. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  19. "Festival Program and Schedule". 20th Annual Green Mountain Film Festival. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  20. "Feature Films". Julien Dubuque International Film Festival. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  21. "Saturday, April 8 - The Happys". 2017 Phoenix Film Festival. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  22. Billington, Alex (27 February 2018). "First Trailer for LA Indie Comedy 'The Happys' Starring Amanda Bauer". FirstShowing. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  23. Crust, Kevin (11 March 2018). "L.A. movie openings, March 16". Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  24. Tronicek, Stephen (9 November 2016). "SLIFF 2016 Review – The Happys". We Are Movie Geeks. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
  25. Lutack, Rachel (31 August 2016). "Movie Review - 'The Happys'". mxdwn. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  26. Schager, Nick (12 March 2018). "Film Review: 'The Happys'". Variety. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  27. Scheck, Frank (19 March 2018). "'The Happys': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
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