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10,000 B.C. Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
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Happy Endings
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MPAA RATING: R for sexual content, language and some drug use
Starring Lisa Kudrow, Steve Coogan, Jesse Bradford, Bobby Cannavale, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jason Ritter, Tom Arnold, and Laura Dern
Don Roos deftly weaves together multiple stories to create a sharp, witty look at love, family and the sheer unpredictability of life itself. A feast of buried secrets, missed opportunities and welcome second chances, this wildly original comedy proves that the happiest ending of all is the one you least expect. (Lions Gate Films)
| GENRE(S): | Comedy | Drama |
| WRITTEN BY: | Don Roos |
| DIRECTED BY: | Don Roos |
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: November 15, 2005 Video: November 15, 2005 Theatrical: July 15, 2005 |
| RUNNING TIME: | 128 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: | USA |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The average user rating for this movie is 7.1 (out of 10) based on 17 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Sean J. gave it a4:
Casting Maggie Gyllenhaal as a calculating young skank didn't ring true - she's too old for the role, cavorting around with young 20-somethings. Her singing performance at the end as a sort of character redemption (typical Hollywood Happy Ending!) made me want to slap the screenwriter/director. Kudrow's character was irritating and unrealistic, except the actress letting her age/wrinkles show through (minimal Botox - wow). Her meltdown at the beginning/ending made you feel cheated, like "oh come on heifer! Will you get a grip". The two son's featured in the film were zero-dimensional.
Robert C. gave it an8:
Got off to a slow start and I almost gave up on it, but the quirky characters and raw emotions won me over. Lisa Kudrow was very good. Maggie Gyllenhaal was amazing as usual and I really enjoyed her version of "Don't go Changin'" at the end. I found the occasinal split screen narrative distracting, but it was a wothwhile movie experience for me.
Amurabi M. gave it a7:
"This is a comedy. Sort of" says one of the multiple title cards, displayed in this film. The title cards can work as a distraction, right, but also can show a lack of talent of Roos direction. Yes, his script is witty, smart and talented, with a great mix of tragedy and comedy (that´s the reason which that title card proves that, at least, this film is earnest) but you have to read those, to believe and find a justification fot the acts of the characters . With terrific performances (Maggie Gyllenhaal is a goddess from the contemporary american cinema) and superb storylines (that looks realistic, plausible and believable), "Happy Endings" could be a masterpiece if something must have not been forget: passion.
Peter J. gave it a3:
I am shocked at all of the good scores this movie has received. Besides seeing Phoebe's nipple, I was bored out of my mind watching this movie. It was so bad my wife made me turn it off. Good thing I did, because then we watched Cinderella Man, which was a great movie!
[Anonymous] gave it a9:
Love multiple-intertwined story movies if they get get at least a liitle depth. In comparison Crash may have been famously cast and well-acted but it was far too flitting / characters left under-developed. This was well explored and albeit simply (through the text) well connected. The characters were less 2-dimensional, and thank goodness humorous and less depressing (i.e. more like Pulp).
larry a. gave it a9:
Great fun. I was hoping the movie would last a hour longer. A different type of movie that woked out very well. I was happy I watched it on DVD so could replay and enjoy parts a second time! Makes me happy a film can entertain so well without a zillion dollar budget!
Arizona Rex gave it a10:
So I loved The Opposite of Sex and I expected this one to be really similar, if not irritatingly the same. But it wasn't. I didn't really consider this a comedy or a dramedy. It was abstract and sad and moving. Don Roos, whether intentionally or not, moved me with this film. With chaos and beauty, he amazed me. The performances were great, the script was amazing. This movie was beautiful and caught we way off guard.

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