Happy Christmas

  • 2014


MOVIE IS ambitious engaging terrific inexhaustible wonderful
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37 %
75 % Certified Fresh
$ 0 Million
See Where to Watch Happy Christmas
Positive Reviews 47
Negative reviews 6
Average Rating 3.4/5
ambitious engaging terrific inexhaustible wonderful

  • All
  • Positive
  • Negative
2.2
Its surely not an easy decision, but at least theres nobody else to disappoint. Av Club
3.8
Sweetly funny and relatable, Happy Christmas builds on the directors previous work by channeling its strong aspects naturalism and self effacing, true .. Indie Wire
4.0
Theres something to be said about genuine, feel good filmmaking, a message Swanberg heroically delivers. We Got This Covered
3.0
More engaging stuff follows; Girls creator Lena Dunham is especially fun as Jennys alternately exasperated and exasperating best friend. Time Out
3.1
Swanberg clearly knows the naturalistic give and take among this perceptive trio is pure gold tinsel. Rogerebert
1.3
At first this blood soaked horror comedy is humorous, but it quickly turns grating.A great premise wasted. Rogerebert
3.5
The two leads have great chemistry together as respective sisters in law, and their shared arc is funny and strong. Happy Christmas is worth checking .. IGN
4.0
The filmmakers behind the so called mumblecore movement have famously rejected that term as being too limited or even demeaning. Ny Daily News
3.0
Jeff (Joe Swanberg) is an independent filmmaker who lives in a quaint house in Chicago with his wife Kelly (Melanie Lynskey) and their adorable two ye .. Spirituality And Practice
3.8
Happy Christmas is a petite, lived in character comedy of the Mumblecore school just a group of chatty twentysomethings, drinking, growing beards and .. Rogers Movie Nation
3.5
E ndearing comedy drama about the difficulties young adults have of maturing. Sover
3.5
Swanberg has a pleasing command of screen elements and a clear bond with his actors. Happy Christmas is a nice addition to his leisurely but sincere o .. Blu Ray
3.8
Characters appear to be working out their thoughts as they speak, rather than reciting something theyve already concluded. Combust Ible Celluloid
3.0
The premise may suggest a bland sitcom, though Swanbergs directorial perspective feels less complacent than usual. Chicago Reader
4.4
A gently funny ensemble comedy that feels less like a movie than a short story. Usa Today
3.5
There is not a large story arc here.It is more like a slice of life. Lariat
3.2
As a filmmaker, Swanberg keeps everything vaguely comic and deadpan. Cs Monitor
4.5
And while that change could be dismissed as a purely commercial calculation, it also significantly impacted the overall artistry of the film for the b .. Film Journal
3.5
Its not always pretty, and its not always exciting, but you genuinely dont know from one moment to the next how these characters will behave. Az Central
3.5
This is a comedy that, at its best, eases you into its comfort zone and massages laughs out of you. Npr
3.1
Not an earth shattering insight, but enough to power this agreeably modest vehicle. Star Tribune
2.5
And its hard to succumb to the appeal of a drunken, pot smoking nincompoop. Observer
3.0
The subtlety of Swanbergs films is always notable, but Happy Christmas is slightly too uneven to be his best work.Swanberg is famous in indie circles .. Common Sense Media
3.8
A slightly above average example of a kind of movie and of a trend within movies that needs to be encouraged. Sf Gate
4.4
Its an exhilarating moment that also serves a pragmatic narrative purpose: Jenny and Kelly recognize a mutual longing that springs from wonderment of .. Slant Magazine
3.8
But what is often surprising in this entertaining and fluidly acted portrait of females in flux is the specific way things get messy. Washington Post
4.0
What a pleasure it is to watch a film showing life as it is, not warped into a fantasy of superhuman power. The New York Times
2.5
Happy Christmas leans hard on the ensembles exploratory attempts at ad hoc dialogue, so that you find yourself providing alternative snatches of bante .. Chicago Tribune
3.5
A master of the subtlest of dramatic observation, Swanberg gently teases wistfully recognizable frustration, tolerance, and warmth out of familial lov .. Flickfilosopher
3.2
The inexhaustible indie filmmaker might not have struck gold twice in a row, but the silver linings of Happy Christmas are largely engaging, truthful .. Blogs Indie Wire
3.5
On the outside is a messy exterior that belies the focused heart of the film.Characters offset each other in a sharp way that only a honed filmmaker c .. Blogs Indie Wire
5.3
Swanberg has talent, and some good ideas, but they beg to be fleshed out with a solid script. Blogs Indie Wire
4.0
Swanbergs modest script lays out some fairly mundane domestic situations, which the actors elevate with a collaborative style characterized by gentle .. Hollywood Reporter
3.5
He outlines the story and the scenarios the actors will move through. Los Angeles Times
2.0
Unfortunately, when the actors arent capable of surprising the audience along the way, the results feel slight and insubstantial. Variety
2.5
Writer director actor Joe Swanbergs latest captures everyday reality but forgets about dramatic tension. Oregon Live
3.5
This slight but engaging film is all about what happens when a free radical is introduced to a seemingly stable equation. The Age
3.1
It offers his characteristic you are there visuals, rackety sound and meandering dialogue, often with appealing results. New York Post
3.8
Happy Christmas is sweet and funny and always rings true (especially in its depiction of family and discussions among its female characters), but even .. Red Eye Chicago
3.0
But while its occasionally amusing and mildly insightful, the slight picture feels like a step backwards for the filmmaker. Film Racket
4.0
has the ramshackle, slice of life, ragged verisimilitude of mumblecore at its best, but fused with a story with actual momentum and unfailingly excell .. The Dissolve
1.0
I am a Vedic life coach; and also a job coach for intellectually disabled adults. Sandiego Reader
3.5
The beauty of this simple story lies in its non judgemental observations of some very believable female characters. Sbs
3.5
Swanberg may not write dialogue, but he and this terrific cast still have plenty to say. Flavor Wire
3.0
Its terrific to see filmmakers evolve in front of your eyes, especially as you see their filmmaking abilities and keen sense of moments expand from mo .. Awards Circuit
3.0
Weve seen it in the recent films of Lynne Shelton and Ry Russo Young as well. Under The Radar Mag
3.5
Whether or not you enjoy it, and by extension, whether or not you enjoy Happy Christmas, depends entirely on what it is you want in a movie. Scene Stealers
3.2
Its extraordinarily pleasant, though it jibes enough darkness into itself that it doesnt feel ephemeral. Movie Mezzanine
3.5
Dolan paints in big, audacious brush stroke, filling his film with plenty of humour and sweeping emotional stakes.The heights of the drama make the fr .. Movie Mezzanine
2.5
Happy Christmas is a solidly acted, meandering effort that doesnt really amount to much. From The Balcony
4.5
RECOMMENDED Prolific Chicago filmmaker Joe Swanberg continues to explore his own backyard in Happy Christmas, or more to the point, his own home, a co .. New City Film
2.0
Anna Kendrick as a floundering, career clueless, alcoholic, irresponsible moocher Just no. She manages to make it work, sort of. Kendricks magnetic, w .. Theepoch Times
4.4
The actors are likable and smart, imbuing the movie with tension derived from real life experiences. Am Ny
3.0
Its a style that could end up both facetious and pretentious, but Swanbergs work has actually grown in terms of its subject matter and maturity. Ut Sandiego
3.5
Its a family drama, a story of female friendship, a (belated) coming of age movie, and a comedy all rolled into one. Bust
3.8
Filmmaker Swanbergs semi improvised style the actors invent their dialogue, working off a detailed script allows him to explore marital and family lif .. Oc Register
1.5
And much as the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, I keep foolishly heeding the assurance .. Spliced Personality Word P ..



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