Another Happy Day

Last updated
Another Happy Day
Another happy day poster.jpg
Teaser poster
Directed by Sam Levinson
Written bySam Levinson
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyIvan Strasburg
Edited byRay Hubley
Music by Ólafur Arnalds
Production
companies
  • Mandalay Vision
  • Taggart Productions
  • Cineric
  • Fimula Entertainment
  • New Mexico Media Partners
  • Prop Blast Films
Distributed by Phase 4 Films
Release dates
  • January 23, 2011 (2011-01-23)(Sundance)
  • November 18, 2011 (2011-11-18)(United States)
Running time
119 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$659,937 [1]

Another Happy Day is a 2011 American drama film written and directed by Sam Levinson, in his feature directorial debut. The film stars an ensemble cast including Ellen Barkin, Kate Bosworth, Ellen Burstyn, Thomas Haden Church, Jeffrey DeMunn, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, George Kennedy, Ezra Miller, Demi Moore, Diana Scarwid and Daniel Yelsky.

Contents

It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2011. It was released on November 18, 2011, by Phase 4 Films.

Premise

When Lynn attempts to reunite with her estranged son at his wedding, it only serves to expose painful truths and family secrets.

Cast

Release

Another Happy Day was screened at the 27th Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2011. [2] [3] The film also screened at South by Southwest on March 18, 2011; at the Woodstock Film Festival on September 23; at the Mill Valley Film Festival on October 12; and was given a limited release on November 18.

Critical reception

Another Happy Day holds 47% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 34 reviews, with an average of 5.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Another Happy Day features outstanding performances (Ellen Barkin's especially) but the characters are too unpleasant to endure." [4] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 46 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [5]

Barkin received critical acclaim for her performance, with Gabe Toro of IndieWire writing that it was one of the best female performances of the year. [6] Chris Bumbray of JoBlo wrote: "A searing look at the modern family dynamic, and the way love and hate can be inter-changeable at times. Ellen Barkin is Oscar worthy". [7]

John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review, writing: "Laugh-laced dark drama of family angst overcomes the hurdle of its wedding-weekend setting." [8] Leah Rozen of TheWrap also gave the film a positive review, writing: "Altmanesque in its sprawl and sympathetic attitude toward even its most flawed characters, Happy Day marks a mostly promising debut for director-writer Sam Levinson." [9]

Stephen Holden of The New York Times gave the film a negative review writing: "Both anguished and histrionic and in its strongest moments very, very good. But it is also overpopulated, strident and constitutionally unable to step back and scrutinize itself." [10] Moira McDonald of The Seattle Times also gave the film a negative review writing: "Another Happy Day becomes increasingly difficult to watch, despite its intelligence and strong cast. You wish this family well, but you're grateful to see the last of them." [11]

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References

  1. ↑ "Another Happy Day". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  2. ↑ Jay A. Fernandez; Daniel Miller (January 29, 2011). "Sundance: 2011 Festival Award Winners". The Hollywood Reporter blog Risky Business. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  3. ↑ Fernandez, Jay A. (May 11, 2011). "'Another Happy Day' U.S. Rights Sold to Phase 4 Films". The Hollywood Reporter .
  4. ↑ "Another Happy Day". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  5. ↑ Another Happy Day at Metacritic OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  6. ↑ Toro, Gabe (November 15, 2011). "Review: 'Another Happy Day' Features One Of The Year's Best Female Performances By Ellen Barkin". IndieWire . Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  7. ↑ Bumbray, Chris (February 3, 2011). "REVIEW: ANOTHER HAPPY DAY (SUNDANCE)". JoBlo.com . Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  8. ↑ DeFore, John (November 23, 2011). "Another Happy Day: Sundance Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  9. ↑ Rozen, Leah (November 3, 2011). "Review: 'Another Happy Day' = Another Unhappy, Weepy Wedding". TheWrap . Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  10. ↑ Holden, Stephen (November 17, 2011). "Down the Aisle, Laden With Family Baggage". The New York Times . Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  11. ↑ McDonald, Moira (November 23, 2011). "'Another Happy Day' smart but, finally, tiresome". The Seattle Times . Retrieved July 7, 2020.
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