Film Review: Happy Christmas

Soft and low key, and a healthy dose of reality

Melanie Lynskey and Joe Swanberg snuggle up tight in 'Happy Christmas'
Melanie Lynskey and Joe Swanberg snuggle up tight in ‘Happy Christmas’

Some people enjoy movies because they provide an escape from the hardships of real life.  To them, the more out-of-this-world, the better.  Other people enjoy realistic movies the most – the movies that capture the intricacies of real human behavior, real emotions, and stories grounded in reality.  Happy Christmas will definitely please the latter group of movie watchers, but has a rather good shot at pleasing the former group, too.  Director Joe Swanberg (Drinking Buddies) is a rising talent getting known for his acute handling of complex onscreen relationships.  Happy Christmas is Swanberg’s most mature film to date, capturing a segment in the life of a few in a way that doesn’t rely on overly dramatic instances to drive the plot.  In doing so, the film is actually a pleasant invitation into another family’s life, one in which the characters ring true.

Continue reading “Film Review: Happy Christmas”