tomsfolks Review of Happy Hour

Happy Hour (2003)

A fine blend of tragedy and comedy with an excellent script and acting.

[10/10 · 14 October 2003]

I saw this film at the Austin Film Festival and enjoyed it immensely. It is much superior to most Hollywood schlock and slash. It has a literate script, interesting characters, witty banter, and a fine blend of tragedy and comedy (or was it comedy and tragedy?) that is difficult to finesse. Although some of the subject matter is dark, it remains comic -- not in the broad, rowdy M*A*S*H sense, but in a charming, everyday, real-life sense. The film's courage to be honest about how someone's self-inflicted tragedy doesn't necessarily consume everyone around him was refreshing, and the life-goes-on message is honest and not cliched. There are fine lead performances by Anthony LaPaglia, Eric Stoltz, and Caroleen Feeney, and a great turn as a comic villain by Tom Sadoski. His comedy is wickedly balanced by a more darkly villainous Robert Vaughn. The tone of the film hangs in between, in tipsy harmony. This film deserves a well-publicized theater run. See it!