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      Happy Hour

      Released Apr 10, 2003 1h 33m Comedy Drama List
      35% 20 Reviews Tomatometer 47% 100+ Ratings Audience Score A New York writer (Anthony LaPaglia) falls for a teacher (Caroleen Feeney), while his friend (Eric Stoltz) helplessly watches him abuse alcohol. Read More Read Less Watch on Prime Video Stream Now

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      Happy Hour

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      Happy Hour

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      Critics Consensus

      A measured performance by Anthony LaPaglia tries to pick up the tab, but Happy Hour finds only derivative chuckles in its search for profundity at the bottom of a bottle.

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      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member Beautiful, wonderfully acted and engaging film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member Happy Hour is Dramedy film starring Anthony LaPaglia as Tully, our main character, who went from being a once-promising author, to becoming an advertising copy editor. Through his experiences, he moves from being a cold-hard cynic, to accepting his fate as he secretly hopes and attempts to finally write a great novel. He is accompanied by his friend Levine, played by Eric Stoltz, and a mysterious woman named Natalie played by Caroleen Feeney, who tries to save him even though she also suffers at the feet of his bouts of anger and rejection. The acting in this film is absolutely superb. Anthony LaPaglia, who has never had a problem giving a pitch-perfect performance, gives a an amazing performance that is not only harsh and dark, but it is also at time witty. Eric Stoltz and Caroleen Feeney hold their own up against LaPaglia, and give two extraordinary supporting performances. We also have the pleasure of seeing Robert Vaughan, who plays Tulley's father Tulley, sr. He also gives a fantastic performance. The writing, by first and only time director Mike Bencivenga and Richard Levine, also shifts from being dark to being witty. A very well crafted screenplay is a key necessity to having a film that works, and this films works plenty more than it needs to. It has equal parts great writing and strong character development, and you really feel all of the emotions of the characters. Especially Tulley (LaPaglia). When ever the film becomes dark and emotional, you feel with great strength everything he is going through. In conclusion, Happy Hour is an outstanding achievement. It should be required viewing by all. When I first saw it, I laughed, I cried, I felt happy, I felt sad. It is a mixed-emotion film, but it is an absolute masterpiece. Not many have heard of this film, it was only screened for a short-time at an Independent film festival, but it is not that hard to find. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Entinen kirjailijalupaus, nykyinen pettynyt mainostoimistotyöläinen juo itsensä hengiltä New Yorkissa hukattuaan elämäsä kaikki päämäärät. Se on sääli, sillä hyvä nainen ja hyvä ystävä olisivat koko ajan läsnä hänen elämässään. Tuntematon mutta kaikin puolin OK draama muutaman vuoden takaa. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member LaPaglia, Feeney and Stoltz soldier bravely through an uninspired, airless script. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

      View All (20) Critics Reviews
      Carina Chocano Los Angeles Times In a world with so many problems, it's hard to drum up any sympathy for these characters' profligate self-destruction. Rated: 1/5 Nov 4, 2004 Full Review V.A. Musetto New York Post If only its characters weren't such stereotypes. Rated: 2/4 Oct 22, 2004 Full Review Jack Mathews New York Daily News What you'll remember most about the movie is its banal script and dialogue so ripe it almost laughs at itself. Rated: 1.5/4 Oct 22, 2004 Full Review Christopher Null Filmcritic.com never fleshes any of its characters out beyond bare simplicity Rated: 3/5 Mar 7, 2006 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 3.5/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Rob Thomas Capital Times (Madison, WI) An unhappy hour-and-a-half. Rated: 2/4 Dec 17, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis A New York writer (Anthony LaPaglia) falls for a teacher (Caroleen Feeney), while his friend (Eric Stoltz) helplessly watches him abuse alcohol.
      Director
      Mike Bencivenga
      Screenwriter
      Richard Levine, Mike Bencivenga
      Production Co
      Davis Entertainment, O'Hara/Klein
      Genre
      Comedy, Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Apr 10, 2003, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Oct 20, 2019
      Runtime
      1h 33m
      Sound Mix
      DTS
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