Happiness Is a Four-letter Word

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Happiness Is A Four-Letter Word
Happiness is a Four-letter Word Poster.png
Directed byThabang Moleya
Written byBusisiwe Ntintili
Produced by
  • Junaid Ahmed
  • Bongiwe Selane
  • Helena Spring
Starring
CinematographyLance Gewer
Edited by
  • Nicholas Costaras
  • Melanie Jankes
  • Golden
Music byMpumi Phillips
Release date
  • 19 February 2016 (2016-02-19)(South Africa)
[1]
Running time
92 minutes
CountrySouth Africa
LanguageEnglish
Box office$728,208 [2]

Happiness is a Four-letter Word is a 2016 South African romantic drama film directed by Thabang Moleya and written by Busisiwe Ntintili. Based on the novel of the same name by Nozizwe Cynthia Jele, [3] the film tells the story of three friends trying to find their happiness while maintaining images of success and acceptability.

Contents

The film revolves around three women. Glamorous trophy housewife Zaza, played by Khanyi Mbau, seems to be living the new South African dream of money, success, and loving partners. Lawyer and compulsive perfectionist Nandi, played by Mmabatho Montsho, whose life from the outside is perfect, has a great career and forthcoming nuptials, but in reality, she is suffocating. Trendy art gallery owner and serial dater Princess is played by Renate Stuurman. The three friends juggle life's surprising changes as they come to learn that "happiness doesn't come with a manual". The three will have to find out what truly makes each of them happy and then fight to get it in their unique way.

A sequel is currently under development, set to premiere on Netflix later this year. [4]

Plot

Perfectionist Nandi seems to have the new South African dream life within her grasp: being a partner in a major firm, a marriage and the perfect house - but it all goes up in flames a few months before the wedding. With her friends Zaza and Princess, Nandi will have to find out what truly makes her happy and then fight to get it.

Cast

Reception

Box office

Happiness is a Four-Letter Word pulled in 45,000 attendees and gross box office receipts of R2 371,782 in its opening three days. It was the best performing film of all new releases, in South Africa, on the weekend of 19 February, and did better than international releases such as 13 Hours:TheSecret Soldiers of Benghazi, Hail Caesar! , Fifty Shades of Black and Trumbo . It was ranked at number 3 on the Top 10 after Deadpool and Vir Altyd. Mario Dos Santos, CEO of Ster-Kinekor Entertainment, said: "The opening weekend's results for the film are simply overwhelming not only from local content perspective but also in comparison to Hollywood content." [5]

Sequel

In March 2021, Netflix announced that it had greenlit a sequel to the film, titled Happiness Ever After, with Mbau and Moleya returning and Ayanda Halimana penning the script. [6] It was released on Netflix in November 2021. [7]

References

  1. ↑ Admin (19 February 2016). "Happiness is a Four-Letter Word premieres in local cinemas". Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  2. ↑ "Happiness Is a Four-letter Word". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Jele, Cynthia (2010). Happiness is a four-letter word (1st ed.). Cape Town: Kwela. ISBN   978-0795702952.
  4. ↑ Grater, Tom (23 March 2021). "Netflix Sets Sequel To South African Hit Film 'Happiness Is A Four-Letter Word'". Deadline. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  5. ↑ Citizen, Reporter. "Happiness is a Four-Letter Word does well at box-office". Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "Everything you need to know about the 'Happiness is a Four Letter Word' sequel". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  7. ↑ "Happiness Ever After | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
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