Happiness for Beginners is about a group of campers, who come together to go on a curated ‘adventure’ of a lifetime. It is a motley group of adventure enthusiasts, each of them having a unique set of characteristics and a reason for being on this hike. Considering the premise, the film, if not for its rather cheery title, could well have been a survivalist drama or a gory slasher flick. However, Happiness for Beginners takes a rather sedate route… one of self-discovery that isn’t as interesting as a survivalist slasher flick sounds, but manages to stay afloat thanks to some overall chirpiness, and a no-frills narrative.
Cast: Ellie Kemper, Luke Grimes, Nico Santos
Director: Vicky Wight
Helen (Ellie Kemper) is recently divorced and finds herself in the doldrums, and wants to ‘reset’ her life. There is Jake (Luke Grimes), who is Helen’s brother’s best friend, and we are not sure how she is oblivious to the fact that he is obviously head-over-heels in love with her forever. This glaring oversight notwithstanding, Helen finds herself in the midst of the woods on the Appalachian trail with a group of strangers, including Jake, trying to regroup herself after the divorce and years of being away from who she truly is.
In many ways, all of these group members treat nature and the hike as a group therapy session. However, the spotlight is shone too brightly on just Helen and Jake, and it does a great disservice to the other members of the group, who are actually quite an interesting bunch of people. There is a seemingly alpha male who is brought to his knees when he faces his own vulnerabilities. There is a chirpy young girl, who is afraid of wood and wants to face her fears. She also reveals her acumen and reiterates the efforts she has to put in to prove she is more than just a pretty face. And above all, there is the trek coordinator, who has a poignant connection to the forest. All these stories, and more, are sidelined because the makers decide to focus on a romance that feels forced, and in fact, belies the very reason Helen came to this hike. And the hike itself doesn’t add anything to the narrative.
The film is peppered with insightful dialogues and some witty ones too. “Mother Nature does some wild stuff… but so does love,” says a character when talking about the possibilities of finding love in the forests. However, the film is also bogged down by cliched conversations as old as the forests themselves. All it takes for Helen to get triggered is Jake saying, “I remember you used to be so much fun.” Really?
Ultimately, Happiness for Beginners is too simple, sweet, and straightforward, and after a point, just like the hikers who just want to get done with it, we too saunter down to the finishing line with half a smile, and a resigned expression.
#nofrills #selfhelp #walk #forest #Cinema #express
