Happiness Page #2

Synopsis: Happiness is a 1998 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Todd Solondz, that portrays the lives of three sisters, their families and those around them. The film was awarded the FIPRESCI Prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival for "its bold tracking of controversial contemporary themes, richly-layered subtext, and remarkable fluidity of visual style," and the cast received the National Board of Review award for best ensemble performance. The film spawned the pseudo-sequel Life During Wartime which premiered at the 2009 Venice Film Festival.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Production: Trimark Pictures
  Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 12 wins & 25 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.8
Metacritic:
81
Rotten Tomatoes:
83%
UNRATED
Year:
1998
134 min
1,350 Views


HELEN walks towards the elevator and waits beside ALLEN.

ALLEN mumbles something. HELEN is oblivious.

ALLEN:

How's it going?

HELEN:

Okay.

The elevator arrives.

9.INT. ELEVATOR - EVENING.9.

ALLEN and HELEN step inside. They ride in silence up to

their floor.

10.INT. HALLWAY - EVENING.10.

ALLEN and HELEN emerge from the elevator.

ALLEN:

See ya.

HELEN:

Yeah.

And they walk their separate ways.

11.INT. ALLEN'S APARTMENT - EVENING.11.

ALLEN drops his stuff.

He takes a shower.

He lies down.

He glances at a book of poetry. CLOSE ON the jacket photo

of the author and accompanying brief bio (i.e. "Nominated

for the PEN/Faulkner Prize for poetry, Helen Jordan has

taught at Harvard, Yale�")

He leans his head against the wall, listens to HELEN making

love to somebody next door: "Oh, Helen! Helen! Helen!" etc.

He removes his ear from the wall, sits on the bed, a phone

book beside him.

He starts flipping randomly through the phone book. He

turns to a page. He dials a number from the book. No

answer. He sighs. Tries to next number down. A man picks

up. ALLEN hangs up immediately. He dials again. A

beautiful-sounding WOMAN picks up.

ALLEN:

Hello, is this Claire?

WOMAN (V.O.)

Who is this?

ALLEN hangs up. He buries his head in his hands.

12.INT. TRISH'S PLACE - DAY.12.

JOY sits in the kitchen with her sister TRISH, who is doing

her nails. Trish's baby CHLOE lies in JOY'S lap. JUANITA

the cleaning woman cleans up in the b.g. The family dog

KOOKI teethes on a bone.

Cute little TIMMY appears, in a Robocop-style outfit.

TRISH:

Oh, Timmy! Look who's here!

TIMMY:

(aiming a laser at JOY)

Die, Aunt Joy! Die!

TRISH:

Timmy!

She tries to go after him, but he has already run off.

JOY:

Oh, leave him alone, Trish.

He's just going through a phase.

TRISH:

Oh, I know, but�

JOY:

(trying to make light)

It's okay. I'm strong enough.

JOY suddenly bursts into tears.

TRISH:

Oh, Joy, Joy. What's the matter?

JOY:

I don't know what it is,

but I feel there's so much

hostility directed at me.

TRISH:

Did another guy dump you?

JOY:

No! I�oh, I feel horrible.

TRISH:

Aww. Timmy didn't mean it.

JOY:

I'm sorry. I-I'm just overworked.

TRISH:

It's okay. Because now maybe

you'll listen to me.

JOY:

What?

A weighty pause.

TRISH:

You've got to eat red meat.

JOY:

Oh, Trish�

TRISH:

Oh, I knew that's how you'd react,

but it's true. I've been watching you

and, well� My doctor says just

once a month�

JOY:

I know�

TRISH:

Really. It's the best thing for

the skin. It'll clear it all up.

JOY:

What's wrong with my skin?

TRISH:

It's fine now, but in another

few years� Please, Joy.

I'm speaking for your own good.

JOY:

Oh, I know. Thanks.

Rate this script:3.7 / 3 votes

Todd Solondz

Todd Solondz (born October 15, 1959) is an American independent film screenwriter and director known for his style of dark, thought-provoking, socially conscious satire. Solondz has been critically acclaimed for his examination of the "dark underbelly of middle class American suburbia," a reflection of his own background in New Jersey.[1] His work includes Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995), Happiness (1998), Storytelling (2001), Palindromes (2004), Life During Wartime (2009), and Dark Horse (2012). more…

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