Happy End [DVD]

One of those pieces of art one has deliberations to its quality and impact afterwards, due to its haunting aspect that deftly allowsexistential colors to imbue gradually: Georges nostalgia for past beauty/youth - is a recurrent theme throughout, questions posed to Eve of her age, Anne's lack of realization that Pierre is no longer (or never was) a honorable son, - in fact is destructive to himself and others as is displayed later -there should have been additional context for his reckless behavior.I wish the film would have given a scene to know the mother of Eve in if her condemning judgments were justified, this in fact overshadows that the weakest section was the half an hour outset.The lack thereof evinces the void intuition among the Laurent family; Anne does not know Georges' ability to carry out his driving incident, nor where he would go, nor his detrimental impulse (which unlike Eve is not carefully hidden); Thomas lies to himself and Eve regarding love which Eve, as evidently a third person observer (thereby the role of audience) alienated from the Laurent's and culture/society: she asks Thomas not to 'place her in to a home' after turning of age, her own ignorance due to her sheltered indifference, starkly contrasted with the housemaid 'slave' Pierre unknowingly brings to light, and Senegalese 'migrants' whom in their silence is the transductiō of heavy death strokes interwoven.The medium for this is that none of the Laurent's or other characters are allowed their own voice to display their noticeable struggles (except perhaps Anne) to others, nor are they recognized. An example Pierre's outburst to his mother in an absurd situation, the dining guests are largely mute and passive in reaction, we can only hear their table-talk buzzing, an intonation of obscurity to knowing any true intentions or personalities themselves. Even Thomas/Georges/Anaïs are largely unresponsive, Lawrence as a naive happy-drunk like personality (the only individual who is at least outwardly semi-content in the film) tries to shoe-horn the Senegalese outside -whom in their indeterminacy could be a sure riposte by Haneke to their literal condition in France.None of the Laurents perhaps except Anne try to relieve the sombre hollow ambiguous pain of the lives of those portrayed (by trying to help Pierre and Georges, albeit unsuccessfully, as she alike the others Laurent's cannot fully connect to their angst without offering a solution she would desire, that isn't suitable to them).Disintegrating effects of contemporary technological society is ever relevant, without which it would be possible to prevent suffering/death more easily in the events that transpire; particularly the inhuman docile allowance of in-fortuitous circumstances. This is a cause for the recessed construction site, a reason isn't given for such cause, yet its invisible hand eventually injures all in an imperceptible, unnoticed mélange.Eve is the model exemplar here of a 21st century human affected by such, she and Georges are the only characters able to see through deceptions and excuses of others failings, yet both are bound to their own illusions.How Haneke delineates their lucidity due to sociopathic like traits is unnerving if meant intentionally, this is culminated in their shared stories of infliction, without which the final scene would not have been able to take place when Georges asks Eve to push him down the slipway.Eve's intentional collaboration is perhaps a resignation that Georges is the main perspective of 'Happy End', a comparative motif could be drawn to Georges creating a fictional story himself, with other ingénue's designating his anger (hairdresser/son/almost anyone), suicidal hopelessness (affirmed in all his conversations), nostalgia (wife/reading newspapers in contrary to families over-reliance on electronic equivalents); but most of all regret ('the hands tremble').This latter line is the symbolic embodiment to the emotions of the Laurent's and side persons, that the film is a realistic poignant manifestation to the actuality of not just that of the Laurent's, but isn't it also a realization of the observer to the ambiguous hollowness of modern lives themselves? If true such a horrific reaction is visible in the face of Anne's horror to the apathetic observations and recordings of Eve - who distressingly by filming knows the event is of utmost importance however cannot deal in a human manner—as she here has witnessed herself.The most startlingly bona fide portrayal of real-life meditations on death, incommunicable hopelessness and its absurd consequences in recent memory.

Delivery excellent, but this is a film that promises much....fine cast etc.....but disappoints. Rather lost its way.

This is an unusual and compelling drama, typically French. You really can't predict what is about to happen but you know something will, something unexpected and yet it plays out like it's perfectly normal and everyday. I love French films for this reason and Isabel Huppert is always worth watching.

Typically bleak. Not his best, but well worth seeing.

This is typical example of state subsidised recent French cinema where a director just put together a couple of famous and very good actors in a film with level zero creativity in the script, the music and the filming. It obviously works as I have made the same mistake regularly going to see or buying DVDs of films with Catherine Deneuve or Gerard Depardieu... with the hope that as these actors are oustanding, these films must good and entertaining films to watch. In the case of "Happy End" you get trapped as well by the fact that Michael Haneke has made some good films in the past but this one is slow, heavy, boring and missed the point of the refugees crisis (which remains in the backdrop). The filming is very basic and the music not to remember. In brief, it may excite a few Francophile English film critics and liberals but it is so far away from a film like "Les intouchables" (the untouchable) that the the 4 and 5 stars on the cover of "Happy End" are in the category of fake news.

Antenna’s review pretty much sums up the movie plot but for me the ending was probably the best bit. Loveless characters in search of their own happy end. Worth watching the making of this film to better understand the key themes plus the director’s thinking processes when making this movie. Not as good as Armour but worth a look in. 3.5🌟

This was spoiled by sub titles that were too small and sometimes even white on white! Engaging story apart from that, but didn't get the full dialogue..

Nuanced and pulling no punches - it's hard to imagine a director who taps into human 'shadow' with such potent power and velocity. This film is deeply disquieting - and it should be! Highly recommended.