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- 2016
- PG-13
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 35 m
- 2016
- PG-13
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 35 m
Summary Woody (Kyle Gallner), a children’s author, rents a strange apartment from his landlord, Moses (Nick Offerman). There’s a magical door in Woody’s closet that allows those who go through it to erase mistakes from their past. While he was once happy to facilitate the passage of the random strangers summoned to his apartment, Woody soon begi...
Directed By: Oliver Thompson
Written By: Oliver Thompson
- 2016
- PG-13
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 35 m
- 2016
- PG-13
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 35 m
Welcome to Happiness
29
8.2
Where to Watch
Summary Woody (Kyle Gallner), a children’s author, rents a strange apartment from his landlord, Moses (Nick Offerman). There’s a magical door in Woody’s closet that allows those who go through it to erase mistakes from their past. While he was once happy to facilitate the passage of the random strangers summoned to his apartment, Woody soon begi...
Directed By: Oliver Thompson
Written By: Oliver Thompson
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 6 Critic Reviews
29
0% Positive
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
50% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
50% Negative
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 6 Critic Reviews
29
0% Positive
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
50% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
50% Negative
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
I found myself rolling my eyes more than intrinsically caring about the figures on-screen.
The irony is that as Gallner’s performance gets stronger, the film around him grows weaker.
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 10 User Ratings
8.2
90% Positive
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
10% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Universal Acclaim
Based on 10 User Ratings
8.2
90% Positive
9 Ratings
9 Ratings
0% Mixed
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
10% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
This is a really significant film, with fine acting and very well made. It is one for the thinkers, and allows you to make your own thoughts and interpretations, rather than placing them on the viewer. Unfortunately this kind of more thoughtful and thought provoking film is not well favoured by most movie fans, hence the low review scores for this significant movie.
It also works as a basically **** film in ways - allowing therapy in its difference. So, if you may find it challenging, that is a good way to approach it, not feeling you HAVE to think about anything. Let it pass through or over you, do not feel you must run along with it or anything. There is therapy in just the potential in the experience of watching, and maybe considering afterwards. Also I think it was not made to be taken at face value - for example "happy clappy" need not mean all good and truly, blissfully happy. A very simple film in some ways, but not stupid, I think. It knows life is not just a dream of bliss.
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A beautiful film, both visually and because of its uplifting message. The characters are delightfully quirky and well-acted. it's also a nice example of magical realism.
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Welcome to Happiness is an airy fantasy of a film, cute but also frustrating. It’s a little too determined to be eccentric.
While its heart is in the right place, Welcome to Happiness is too fixated on its twee peccadilloes to truly succeed.
As we plod along, attempting to figure out how the sprawling ensemble players all fit together, the mystery and symbolism of what's truly behind the door grows less profound and more irritating.
Oliver Thompson's spellbindingly awful Welcome to Happiness isn't much worse than most first features — and, in some respects, it's far more ambitious — but this star-studded mess is the rare film that confronts you with the helplessness of watching someone self-sabotage their own work.
I thought this was a very sweet, surprisingly deep film. Despite its whimsical flair, the characters and emotion really rang true for me. A pleasant surprise and a film I'll definitely recommend.
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The film can at times feel a bit light, but as a fantasy - set in modern day - that doesn't feel inappropriate. Plus the movie's just got so much heart, particularly the main character - Woody - that it's hard not to get a little swept up in the idea of a place we would all like to go.
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Production Company
Minutehand Pictures
Release Date May 20, 2016
Duration 1 h 35 m
Rating PG-13
Awards
Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema
• 2 Wins & 9 Nominations
Newport Beach Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
deadCenter Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
