Welcome to Happiness

Name: Welcome to Happiness
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Comedy
Released: May 20, 2016
Duration: 108 min
Rating: 29

2016

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 6 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 10 Ratings

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8.2

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 10 Ratings

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Welcome To Happiness

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Movie Details & Credits

Orion Pictures | Release Date: May 20, 2016 | Not Rated

Summary: Woody (Kyle Gallner), a children’s author, rents a strange apartment from his landlord, Moses (Nick Offerman). There’s a magical door in Woody’s closet that allows those who go through it to erase mistakes from their past. While he was once happy to facilitate the passage of the random strangers summoned to his apartment, Woody soon beginsWoody (Kyle Gallner), a children’s author, rents a strange apartment from his landlord, Moses (Nick Offerman). There’s a magical door in Woody’s closet that allows those who go through it to erase mistakes from their past. While he was once happy to facilitate the passage of the random strangers summoned to his apartment, Woody soon begins to question why he himself is not allowed to go through, finding himself on a downward spiral of jealousy, anger, and resentment that threatens his relationship with his girlfriend, Trudy (Olivia Thirlby) and his literary agent (Paget Brewster). … Expand

Director: Oliver Thompson

Genre(s): Drama, Fantasy, Comedy

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 108 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

The Film Stage Jared Mobarak

May 17, 2016

I found myself rolling my eyes more than intrinsically caring about the figures on-screen. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Matt Fagerholm

May 20, 2016

The irony is that as Gallner’s performance gets stronger, the film around him grows weaker. Read full review

Neil Genzlinger

May 19, 2016

Welcome to Happiness is an airy fantasy of a film, cute but also frustrating. It’s a little too determined to be eccentric. Read full review

Katie Walsh

May 19, 2016

While its heart is in the right place, Welcome to Happiness is too fixated on its twee peccadilloes to truly succeed. Read full review

Robyn Bahr

May 19, 2016

As we plod along, attempting to figure out how the sprawling ensemble players all fit together, the mystery and symbolism of what's truly behind the door grows less profound and more irritating. Read full review

IndieWire David Ehrlich

May 19, 2016

Oliver Thompson's spellbindingly awful Welcome to Happiness isn't much worse than most first features — and, in some respects, it's far more ambitious — but this star-studded mess is the rare film that confronts you with the helplessness of watching someone self-sabotage their own work. Read full review

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Mixed:

User Reviews

NicoleMiller82

Oct 19, 2016

A beautiful film, both visually and because of its uplifting message. The characters are delightfully quirky and well-acted. it's also a nice example of magical realism.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

lcb10

Jul 22, 2017

This is a really significant film, with fine acting and very well made. It is one for the thinkers, and allows you to make your own thoughts and interpretations, rather than placing them on the viewer. Unfortunately this kind of more thoughtful and thought provoking film is not well favouredThis is a really significant film, with fine acting and very well made. It is one for the thinkers, and allows you to make your own thoughts and interpretations, rather than placing them on the viewer. Unfortunately this kind of more thoughtful and thought provoking film is not well favoured by most movie fans, hence the low review scores for this significant movie.

It also works as a basically therapeutic film in ways - allowing therapy in its difference. So, if you may find it challenging, that is a good way to approach it, not feeling you HAVE to think about anything. Let it pass through or over you, do not feel you must run along with it or anything. There is therapy in just the potential in the experience of watching, and maybe considering afterwards. Also I think it was not made to be taken at face value - for example "happy clappy" need not mean all good and truly, blissfully happy. A very simple film in some ways, but not stupid, I think. It knows life is not just a dream of bliss.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

whatdafrak

Jun 4, 2016

I thought this was a very sweet, surprisingly deep film. Despite its whimsical flair, the characters and emotion really rang true for me. A pleasant surprise and a film I'll definitely recommend.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

sfoley94

Jun 21, 2016

The film can at times feel a bit light, but as a fantasy - set in modern day - that doesn't feel inappropriate. Plus the movie's just got so much heart, particularly the main character - Woody - that it's hard not to get a little swept up in the idea of a place we would all like to go.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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