There is intermittent charm in the execution and, especially, in the performances.
Comment
07/14/05
Happy Endings (2005)
56
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:101
Fresh:57
Rotten:44
Average Rating:6/10
Consensus: Despite strong individual performances, the overlong, disjointed plot of Happy Endings self-indulgently rambles.
Runtime: 2 hrs 10 mins
Genre: Dramas
US Box Office: $1,172,987
Synopsis: Mamie is being blackmailed. This filmmaker named Nick claims to know Mamie’s son – the one she gave up for adoption – but Nick won’t introduce her to him unless he can film the reunion. Enter... [More]
Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Tom Arnold, Jason Ritter, Laura Dern
Director: Don Roos
Reviews for Happy Endings
Lithe, clever, thoughtful, well-acted and certainly entertaining.
07/14/05
Marking time until Roos gets tired of spinning his webs of astringent, pithy, smug little nothings.
07/14/05
Secrets and lies laid bare by a strong cast make Roos’ happy endings cathartic and reassuring.
07/13/05
Trouble is, every character in Roos' universe plays at having problems in a homo-hetero-Angeleno world but lacks substance, each little more than a composite of quirks and one-liners.
07/13/05
Roos forecasts and explains every development with a title card, a device not unlike having someone yammering in your ear throughout the entire feature run time.
07/12/05
In a season of overpriced cookie-cutter movies that underestimate their audience, the ambition and intelligence of Roos’ film is a happy outcome indeed.
07/12/05
Even more irritating than the film's third act triumphs is its lack of faith in moviegoers' intelligence.
07/10/05
Overlong, largely because of supernumerary characters.
07/08/05
I enjoyed HAPPY ENDINGS, despite the fact that it uses several narrative devices I hope never to see in indie movies again for some time.
06/27/05
Though rambling, overlong, and diffuse, Roos' comedy has more to say about contempo alternate lifestyles than any Hollywood romantic comedy.
06/06/05
Roos, as a writer, has a flair for comedy, but he could do with someone else on board as director to rein him in.
03/07/05
Latest News for Happy Endings
November 17, 2005:
Oh It's Already Been Broughten (Part 3)
A fresh press release from Universal informs us that there will soon be a "Bring It On 3" to enjoy, but also reminds us that, hey yeah, there WAS a direct-to-video... More...
March 09, 2005:
The director arranged to have a physical obstacle—a countertop, a couch—between Tom Arnold and his gay son in every scene until they reconcile. 
More...
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