Austin Film Festival Preview: Happy Ending

The genre of romantic comedy is not everyone's favorite; indeed, the lead character Momoko in Happy Ending deplores romantic comedies, preferring the slasher genre instead. But then Momoko finds herself in a series of meet-cute scenarios with an attractive patron of her library. Her video store-owner friend Kuroda suggests that perhaps her "life is actually a movie." This adds another layer to the film; if Momoko knows she is in a film, is she aware we are watching her? Still, when she thinks her life has become a rom-com cliche, no one really doubts her.

The film acknowledges typical romantic comedy techniques—Momoko's co-worker tells her that at the climax of a romantic-comedy film there is either a traffic jam or someone has car trouble, a video store clerk relates that John Hughes films tend to feature a best friend in love with the hero/heroine—and makes use of them anyway.

It's quite a lollipop of a film, a sort of anti-romantic comedy which really is a romantic comedy. The movie bursts with bright colors throughout: Momoko's red hair, the neon lights at the front of the video store, the green aprons the librarians wear, and even balloons released by children add to the vibrant feel of the movie. The opening credits seem a little frenetic, but the cinematography is gorgeously done.

Happy Ending even tosses in an allusion to a certain John Cusack film, as Kuroda keeps reminding Momoko of her 52,700 yen debt to the store. Director Atsuhiro Yamada's film is well worth adding to your AFF schedule. Like Momoko, we can't stand cheesy endings in our romantic comedies, and this film did not disappoint.

Happy Ending appears as part of the Narrative Feature Competition at the Austin Film Festival. The full AFF schedule can be seen here.