Happiness For Beginners

November 25th, 2023

Isabelle Babcock

One of Netflix's newest films of 2023, Happiness for Beginners, is based on a 2015 Katherine Center novel. Now I have yet to read the novel but after watching this film, I do not think I will. The rom com follows a recently divorced woman played by Ellie Kemper who is well known for her role in the television show The Office. Hellen, the name of her character, decides to go on an adult hiking trip where she finds her younger brother's best friend Jack on the same trip. Jack’s character is played by actor Luke Grimes. I have to say I was very shocked to see Luke Grimes in this type of film. Luke is known best for his country music career and his significant role in the television show Yellowstone. I have been a huge fan of both his music and acting career so far, but his role in this film gave me some doubts. 

I want to start off by saying that I do not think that Ellie and Luke had any chemistry whatsoever in this film. Being that their two characters are supposed to fall in love throughout this film, I just was not convinced. I believe that for a romantic comedy to really be successful, it must find the balance between what is meant to be funny and what is meant to be serious. I found that the scenes that were meant to be serious were comical, and vice versa. For example, what was supposed to be one of the most intense parts of the film, I found almost silly and insignificant. I am referring to when a fellow hiker gets injured, and it is a turning point for the film. I found that it was anticlimactic and unbelievable as a viewer. This turning point in the film, which was supposed to bring high intensity and character development, did not provide either of these aspects. For a significant part in the film which was meant to bring the two main characters close, it felt very insincere. 

Given I have not read the book It is hard to say how closely the film followed the original story. Often romance books do not offer much comedy so I would assume the creators of the film added the comedic aspects. I think I would have enjoyed this film more if they had stuck to one or the other, comedy or romance. Neither genre seemed like the right tone for this story and the actors chosen. I know Luke Grimes usually acts in dramas and not comedy, this role was out of his normal wheelhouse.  

Nearing the end of the film, there were many plot holes. The brother and grandmother of Hellen, the main character, seemed to already know about the feelings Jack and Hellen felt for one another. These characters almost had no personality but rather just placed there to fill room. The brother character confused me the most since he was unaffected by the fact that his best friend and sister had found themselves in love with one another. Overall, I had hoped for more character depth from the film along with answers to the plot holes left behind. The story itself had enormous potential if done right. The name Happiness for Beginners perfectly captures the theme and aesthetic of the film, but I realized it is just the name from the title of the novel...