What Happened Was...

R

1994

1h 31m

Drama

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91%

Tomatometer

23 Reviews

76%

Audience Score

250+ Ratings

Jackie (Karen Sillas) is an executive assistant. Michael (Tom Noonan) is a paralegal. By day, they work together at the same law firm, but tonight they're on their first date. He's a tall man with an intense look that some would find intimidating, but she is intrigued by him, and the two spend an evening in deep discussion, each performing the necessary verbal footwork to find out as much about the other as possible. As they dig deeper into each other's pasts, they make startling discoveries.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

Variety

This intense, mysterious drama about a date between two lonely misfits, is sensitively directed by Tom Noonan, better known as an actor; it was the surprise winner of the Grand Jury Prize of the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.

Rated: B+

Dec 20, 2006

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Alison Macor

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 9, 2002

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Laura Clifford

Reeling Reviews

Oscilloscope's 4K scan of an original 35mm print issued on blu-ray, the first time this 1994 Sundance winner...has been made available in a DVD format, is cause for celebration...Tom Noonan delivered his magnum opus right out of the gate.

Rated: A-

Jun 21, 2021

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Patrick Dahl

Screen Slate

A largely forgotten triumph from the margins of the mid-90s Sundance boom.

Feb 24, 2021

Full Review

Frank Swietek

One Guy's Opinion

Rated: 3/5

Jul 1, 2005

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Audience Member

Really wanted to like this movie but had to stop about halfway through because of unrealness and sheer boredom. I don't think two intelligent people would have a communique anything like this that would go on so long. Their defense mechanisms would have clicked on long before. Thought it was sad and painful to watch none the less. Couldn't understand why she put up with this bumbling fool so long.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

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Audience Member

The perfect 'date movie'. Subtle, strange, and touching.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The date of lowered expectations leads to a nice film where Noonan just lets the camera roll and allows the characters to develop within their own private space. Nice.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This intense, mysterious drama about a date between two lonely misfits, is sensitively directed by Tom Noonan, better known as an actor; it was the surprise winner of the Grand Jury Prize of the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The awkwardness was great to watch, but, a little art housey for me.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

"What Happened Was..." is perhaps one of the very best independent films I have ever seen. It's poignant, insightful, sweet, funny, and reminds us of how awkward getting to know someone at first truly is. Tom Noonan is an actor whose work as a director was unknown to me before this film, and here he exceeds in both categories. "What Happened Was..." ends more dramatically than I would have preferred, but it is a worthwhile and satisfying experience nonetheless. If dialogue-driven films are your thing, this one comes highly recommended.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

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Tom Noonan

Director

Karen Sillas

Jackie Marsh

Tom Noonan

Michael

Robin O'Hara

Producer

Scott Macaulay

Producer

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Synopsis

Jackie (Karen Sillas) is an executive assistant. Michael (Tom Noonan) is a paralegal. By day, they work together at the same law firm, but tonight they're on their first date. He's a tall man with an intense look that some would find intimidating, but she is intrigued by him, and the two spend an evening in deep discussion, each performing the necessary verbal footwork to find out as much about the other as possible. As they dig deeper into each other's pasts, they make startling discoveries.

Director: Tom Noonan
Producer: Robin O'Hara, Scott Macaulay
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 23, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $324.2K
Runtime: 1h 31m

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