Happy Christmas (2014)

'HAPPY Christmas': Four Stars (Out of Five)

Another mumblecore comedy drama flick, set at Christmas time, from writer/director/producer/actor (and much more) Joe Swanberg. Swanberg costars in the movie with Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber and Lena Dunham. It tells the story of a 20-something 'party girl' who moves in with her filmmaker brother and his writer wife (as well as their two-year-old son), in Chicago, after a break up. Like most mumblecore movies, the dialogue is entirely improvised and the story is near nonexistent. It's a good example of the genre and Swanberg is talented, at this type of film (although it's not as good as his critically acclaimed hit 'DRINKING BUDDIES', from 2013),

Kendrick plays Jenny, a 20-something woman who just broke up with her boyfriend. She moves in with her older brother Jeff (Swanberg), and his wife Kelly (Lynskey), to get a new start on things. Jeff is a filmmaker and Kelly is a novelist; and the couple have a two-year- old son together, named Jude (Jude Swanberg). Jenny wants to mature and move on with her life but instead she goes right back to her partying ways; of heavy drinking, often with her friend Carson (Dunham). Her irresponsibleness scares Kelly, as Kelly worries about her baby. Jenny also starts a relationship with Kevin (Webber), a friend of Jeff and Kelly's, and attempts to inspire Kelly, in new directions with her writing, as well.

I think the acting is all more than decent and natural and Kendrick is especially adorable. The characters do seem like real people and their situations and predicaments seem true to life too. These are all things a mumblecore movie should do well (to be memorable in the genre). It is a little boring and uninvolving at times, but that's to be expected. The Christmas music is a nice fitting touch and I do like the overall message, about how weed is good and alcohol is bad; whenever Jenny drinks in the film she gets in trouble and whenever she smokes pot she does good helpful things. It does feel a little heavy-handed but that's true to life as well. It's definitely a very sweet and likable film.

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