Happy Christmas
Netflix synopsis: After splitting up with her boyfriend just before the holidays, a young woman tries to start over, but her self-destructive behavior gets in the way.
The rundown: Happy Christmas is a Joe Swanberg joint about family dysfunction and quiet monotony. Swanberg, an auteur with some arthouse cred, is best known for his low-budget dramas. Happy Christmas, in keeping with the Swanbergian apparatus, has entirely improvised dialogue. Wikipedia describes the man as a "leading figure in the mumblecore film movement." So, does the prospect of watching listless thirtysomethings leading lives of quiet desperation sound like a good ol' Christmas film? Do you like watching Lena Dunham drink beer? Is watching a six minute unbroken take of a woman stifling tears while smoking cannabis sound like fun? I'll let Sam answer that question.
No.
No.
He said: I like the idea of Happy Christmas. Really, I do! Improvised drama is an intriguing approach to filmmaking. The effect is a decidedly non-cinematic form of cinema. But there's a difference between interesting-in-technicality and interesting-in-execution. Technically, Swanberg has created a hyper-naturalistic film with astonishing reality. All of the characters, save Lena Dunham's soft shtickiness, look and act like real people. The infant is actually his son, lending complete credibility to their interactions. Verisimilitude is the name of the game. The purposefully shoddy and non-artistic camerawork (pan to and fro in long, long unbroken shots) makes the film feel like a home movie. But since life is often a lot more boring than fiction, Happy Christmas is a dreary, dull home movie. The staunch and unblinking naturalism reminds me of Dogme 95 films. Swanberg is not nearly as bleak and grotesque as, say, Von Trier's exercises in nihilistic anti-cinema. A Christmas movie shouldn't remind you of The Idiots or Julien Donkey-boy. And this is a cold, bracing shot of melancholy if you watch this expecting otherwise.
Feminism: One of the subplots concerns Ms. Swanberg's desire to break out of housewife drudgery. Mr. Swanberg says, "Sure!" because real life doesn't need cinematic conflict.
Shoehorned Christmas cheer: Lots of alcoholism and wrapping of presents. That's Christmas-y, right?
Sequel potential: A real-time catalog of the week Swanberg's sister visited for Easter.
Manly sighs: zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Times I wanted to do anything else: Yes
Candy canes: 0
She said: No.
Sappiness: No.
Gore level: No.
Cute animals: No.
Loud kids that are supposed to be cute but are really annoying: No.
No: No
Candy canes: 0 (No)
Final Score: No
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