The Happytime Murders

Name: The Happytime Murders
Genre: Action, Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Horror
Released: August 24, 2018
Duration: 91 min
Rating: 27
Cast: Allison Bills, Barry Rothbart, Benjamin Cole Royer, Bill Barretta, Brian Henson

2018

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 48 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 113 Ratings

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4.6

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4.6	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 113 Ratings

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The Happytime Murders

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Movie Details & Credits

STX Entertainment | Release Date: August 24, 2018 | R

Starring: Allison Bills, Barry Rothbart, Benjamin Cole Royer, Bill Barretta, Brian Henson, Colleen Smith, Cynthy Wu, Dana Schick, Dorien Davies, Drew Massey, Elizabeth Banks, Fortune Feimster, Hemky Madera, Jen Sung, Jimmy O. Yang, Joel McHale, Leslie David Baker, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Michael McDonald, Mitch Silpa, Ninos Sarkis, Pamela Mitchell, Patricia Guggenheim, Ryan Gaul

Movie Facts:

The makers Sesame Street were unsuccessful in their lawsuit against the STX Productions for its use of the tagline supporting the Happytime Murders - “No sesame. All street,” which Sesame Street creators argued would lead the public to believe that the R-rated film is supported by the children’s program. (Fortune)

Summary: No Sesame. All Street. The Happytime Murders is a filthy comedy set in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles where puppets and humans coexist. Two clashing detectives with a shared secret, one human (Melissa McCarthy) and one puppet, are forced to work together again to solve the brutal murders of the former cast of a beloved classic puppetNo Sesame. All Street. The Happytime Murders is a filthy comedy set in the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles where puppets and humans coexist. Two clashing detectives with a shared secret, one human (Melissa McCarthy) and one puppet, are forced to work together again to solve the brutal murders of the former cast of a beloved classic puppet television show.… Expand

Director: Brian Henson

Genre(s): Action, Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Horror, Comedy, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 91 min

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Critic Reviews

William Bibbiani

Aug 22, 2018

The Happytime Murders may not be a timeless classic on par with Roger Rabbit, but it’s more interesting and nuanced than its raunchy, violent humor suggests. The puppeteering is fantastic, the characters are interesting, and although the story isn’t ingenious the jokes are usually funny. Read full review

Samantha Incorvaia

Aug 23, 2018

It's entertaining enough to see once, just to say you've seen it. But it surely isn't for everyone. You've got to have a dark and dirty sense of humor. Read full review

Erik Adams

Aug 23, 2018

It’d be an intriguing premise — if, again, it weren’t so nearly identical to "Roger Rabbit," right down to the inevitable frame job. Also, if The Happytime Murders had taken a few more cues from that film and focused less on the rote whodunit and more on the funhouse-mirror L.A. where it takes place. Read full review

Matthew Monagle

Aug 23, 2018

This is the feature-length equivalent of an R-rated gag reel from a mainstream Muppets feature. While it might be fun – and maybe even cathartic – for the puppeteers to cut loose with some sophomoric humor, the film never finds that next gear to locate these jokes in contrast to something, anything. Read full review

Nick Vadala

Aug 23, 2018

The Happytime Murders is a good idea executed badly, or at least one that is trying too hard to be shocking. Read full review

Andrew Barker

Aug 22, 2018

It should come as no surprise that “Happytime” comes up farcically short as a metaphor for racism. But its most fatal miscalculation is the decision to frontload so many of its crassest setpieces into the first 15 or 20 minutes, depriving the rest of the film of the shock value that is its entire raison d’etre. Read full review

Michael Phillips

Aug 23, 2018

The Happytime Murders is a one-joke movie, minus one joke. The year may cough up a worse film, but probably not a more joyless, witless one, raunchy or otherwise. Read full review

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User Reviews

person2000

Aug 24, 2018

I think the reason critics are destorying this movie is because they're bringing the weight of their experience with children's televisions version of puppets to the film. It's not jiving with their ingrained belief for what a puppet is and can do, thusly they outright reject it. It's theI think the reason critics are destorying this movie is because they're bringing the weight of their experience with children's televisions version of puppets to the film. It's not jiving with their ingrained belief for what a puppet is and can do, thusly they outright reject it. It's the not the best movie of the year, but damn, it's funny and it's fun. If you want to have a good time at the movies, this is the movie to see. The artistry on display and technical skill is astounding, Melissa McCarthy is enjoyable, and Maya Rudolph knocks it out of the park. Go see this movie.… Expand

6 of 18 users found this helpful612

kuehnau

Jan 21, 2019

The Happytime Murders is a pretty decent little film, I enjoyed it from start to finish. It's not the best comedy in the world and it isn't perfect, but so few movies are these days. It's a silly, stupid movie at best, but I really enjoyed it and so did my friends and family.

The puppetryThe Happytime Murders is a pretty decent little film, I enjoyed it from start to finish. It's not the best comedy in the world and it isn't perfect, but so few movies are these days. It's a silly, stupid movie at best, but I really enjoyed it and so did my friends and family.

The puppetry is pretty good, the jokes are good enough to stand on their own and the violence? Oh god, while it's true a majorty of the violence is against puppets, it's so brutal that it even made me cringe a few times. Some folks might complain that the humor is juvenile or that the plot is basic. I say to them that they are bitter, crappy adults who have somehow managed to lose their inner child.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AsherStorm

Dec 21, 2019

I had a lot of fun watching this. Not a giant fan of McCarthy, but the world was fun to ride in for a while. I’d love to see something else that takes place in this same world. Dumb funny gross and still enjoyable.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Compi24

Aug 28, 2018

In a manner similar to another recent film, "Sausage Party," "The Happytime Murders" spends most of its running time resting solely on the promise of its premise alone. "Hey, look! Puppets cussing and ejaculating! That's funny, right?" Not by itself, no. And make no mistake, that premise isIn a manner similar to another recent film, "Sausage Party," "The Happytime Murders" spends most of its running time resting solely on the promise of its premise alone. "Hey, look! Puppets cussing and ejaculating! That's funny, right?" Not by itself, no. And make no mistake, that premise is basically "by itself" for the entirety of the movie. Sure, there are a few frustratingly entertaining jokes here and there (frustrating in that there are some faint glimmers of actual humor in an otherwise woefully tone-deaf comedic effort) but that's about it. The cop/noir elements aren't well-thought-out or ground-breaking in any way. Even the puppeteering work wasn't everything it should've been in terms of comedy. Just an unfortunate, sad effort on almost all fronts, and yet another recent demerit on the track record of the Melissa McCarthy craze.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

clarkaddison

Sep 13, 2018

I don’t think I liked this. There was a couple of times where I thought something was funny or there was some cool idea, but those quickly died by something crude or un-original. I don’t mind crude humor. I enjoyed sausage party to a degree. South Park has its time and place. This is just aI don’t think I liked this. There was a couple of times where I thought something was funny or there was some cool idea, but those quickly died by something crude or un-original. I don’t mind crude humor. I enjoyed sausage party to a degree. South Park has its time and place. This is just a different beast though. Three or four scenes I can think of specifically that are almost scarring. I hate to make it seem like this, but it does seem like you respect it for the puppeteering part or this stuff cracks you up. It does not do the latter for me. I get that some of the puppeteering is cool, I know that there is more than one person working on the puppet and that takes some of the fun away for me.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

RevUBrah

Jun 6, 2021

The last time I was so thoroughly disappointed by a movie it was seeing Adam Sandler's "Pixels" in theaters, an event I'm not sure my closest friends ever truly forgave me for. That film could at least hold the title of "so bad it's good", this one couldn't even reach that status. The momentThe last time I was so thoroughly disappointed by a movie it was seeing Adam Sandler's "Pixels" in theaters, an event I'm not sure my closest friends ever truly forgave me for. That film could at least hold the title of "so bad it's good", this one couldn't even reach that status. The moment I saw Melissa McCarthy come onscreen I knew I had made a fatal error but I was committed to see it through, a decision that will haunt me until the day I die. I gave it a 2/10 to represent the amount of chuckles I was able to get out of its 1.5 hour runtime.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Alex-S

Apr 15, 2019

Not only is this film insulting (to Muppet fans and to anyone with the sense of humor beyond a five year old), disgusting, and just boring, it's also the biggest disappointment out of any film that has come out in the past decade. This movie could've been amazing, or at least half way decentNot only is this film insulting (to Muppet fans and to anyone with the sense of humor beyond a five year old), disgusting, and just boring, it's also the biggest disappointment out of any film that has come out in the past decade. This movie could've been amazing, or at least half way decent if the people tried hard enough; but despite them taking 10+ years to shove this garbage out they clearly did not give a **** It's not just because of the terrible performance of Ghostbusters (2016)'s Melissa McCarthy, the constant non stop sex jokes, mediocre puppet performance (with even worse line delivery), The obvious mystery that completely wastes the film's time if the sex jokes didn't do that enough, or even the god awful pacing; It's the fact that this could've and should've been the best thing to come out in years. But unfortunately, it's just another pile of **** to put on the list of terrible movies.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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