(Lions Gate)
4.5 / 5
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HAPPINES (Lions Gate)
4.5 / 5 |
The directorial work of Todd Solondz has been simultaneously celebrated and condemned for its incisive and deeply poignant exploration of the human condition within contemporary American society. His initial foray into the cinematic field came in the form of "Welcome to the Dollhouse": a macabre and visceral comedy that offered an uncompromising insight into the life of a socially inadequate, adolescent girl. Thus, it comes as little surprise that his second offering, the ironically titled Happiness, endeavours to further transcend the social boundaries of modern cinema. Centred on the lives of three sisters from New Jersey, Happiness is ostensibly a dark situation comedy comprised of five inter-related tales of alienation, sexual transgression and the illusion of romance within metropolitan society. Though such issues seem somewhat cliched, Solondz veers away from the inherent middle-class sensibilities in his uncanny ability to shock through the simple power of suggestion. The very commercial availability of this particular cinematic endeavour is in itself a testimony to the significance of organisations such as Criterion, Tartan et al within an increasingly homogenised and exclusionary film industry. Upon consideration of the film's controversial subject matter, it is understandable that the movie's initial distributor, Universal Pictures, dropped all rights to the enterprise; CEO Ron Meyer even stated that he was not interested in understanding the mind of a paedophile and was therefore disinclined to involve his company in the release of a film that strove to advance such a perspective. However, the film's intense and poignant exploration of the depths of sexual depravity is endowed with more than mere shock value. It is an undertaking which serves to highlight the repressive nature of society and the individuals inability to consolidate innate impulses with acceptable, social behaviour.
The offending storyline in question relates the tale of Dr. Bill Maplewood (Dylan Baker), a straight-laced, middle-class psychiatrist who strives to uphold the image of the perfect family man, while his sexual obsessions lurk merely beneath the surface. However, contrary to popular media conventions, Solondz refuses to validate a judgmental position within this subplot. Rather, Happiness as a whole offers an objective, if not sympathetic portrayal of characters that would generally be regarded as degenerative within the cinematic world. Though merely representing a single facet of the narrative, the story of Bill's degeneration and inevitable downfall serves to reaffirm the inherent and underlying normality of social disconnection and wayward desires within contemporary society. In this regard, Solondz subtly exposes the superficiality of the American social order, a civilisation which beguiles its inhabitants into adopting two, opposing roles: the rigorously standardised, public persona and the altogether private, self-reflecting character. This particular conceit comes to fruition in the character of Allen (Philip Seymour Hoffman): a repressed and self-proclaimed "boring nerd" who derives sexual fulfilment from making obscene phone calls. The object of his unorthodox affection is Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle): the middle sister and author of a series of successful novels. Tired of living a life of adoration and promiscuous sex, she longs for a sense of authenticity and emotional violence; which she conveniently finds in her suitor. However, upon realisation of his fantasy, Allen withdraws into the safety of solitude; a scenario which he finds comforting and familiar. This inability to transcend the boundaries of the status quo resonates within each character; particularly in Helen's older sister. Trish (Cynthia Stevenson), the eldest sibling and wife of Bill, is a model representation of middle class suburban life; a sardonic and self-deluding existence, which endeavours to bury the obscene beneath a hollow veneer of complacency. Her ignorance to her husband's sexual transgressions serves to remind the audience of the narcissistic and self-involved nature of every individual within the film.
In short, Happiness is an enthralling exploration of human sexuality and social taboo. The exceptionally witty dialogue is complimented by a series of sterling performances, which propels the film beyond its humble origins into the realm of exemplary cinema. Difficult in parts, heart wrenching in others, Happiness draws its audience into the underworld of the metropol-itan society, exposing the depravity that lurks beneath the SUVs and white-picket fences of American, middle-class life. If you watched one film to expand your cinematic horizons this semester, make it this one.
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