HappyThankYouMorePlease

Film: Happythankyoumoreplease
Director and Writer: Josh Radnor
Runtime: 90 Minutes
Company: Myriad Pictures
Producer: Jesse Hara, Austin Stark, Benji Kohn, Chris Papavasiliou
Executive Producer: Glenn Williamson, Bingo Gubelmann, Peter Sterling
Cast: Josh Radnor, Kate Mara, Malin Akerman, Michael Algieri, Zoe Kazan, Pablo Schreiber, and Tony Hale

Writer, director and actor Josh Radnor must have had a fun time with his first film, a quirky new romantic comedy mixed with drama called Happythankyoumoreplease. He took a risky chance on a new idea that had success at the Sundance Film Festival. The storyline is realistic in its representation of the young seemingly overgrown adolescent lives of a few people that are making decisions about life and love that will ultimately have the audience rooting for them. The From the start, the film appears to tell a tale of one young man’s adventures in life and love as a freelance writer (of course, this is New York) named Sam that has a knack for short stories, but can’t seem to produce a good novel. Sam, played by Radnor, is on his way to an important interview about his novel when he encounters a young black boy on the subway of New York that is separated from his family. What follows is what one would presume to be a skewed attempt at a contemporary Legend of Bagger Vance. However, the film becomes a fascinating product with its introduction of new characters and plotlines that resemble a mix of the well-known films Big Daddy, Love Actually, with a touch of 500 Days of Summer.
I must commend Radnor on his creative and detailed interlaced plots. He manages to develop at least four separate stories that connect his involved his inner circle of friends, the young boy, and the mysterious bartender named Mississippi played by Sienna Miller look-alike, Kate Mara. Sam attempts to seduce Mississippi with his new “mentor” situation with Rasheen and faces an awkward situation after he proposes that they live together for three days. The agreement is pretty far-fetched and unfortunately seems to turn into another tangled adventure that Sam is prone to. Meanwhile, Sam’s artsy friend Mary Catherine, played by Zoe Kazan, is involved in her own puzzle of a relationship when her boyfriend suggests moving to Los Angeles, and Mary Catherine learns that she is expecting a baby. Although the dialogue between the characters seems unnatural at times, the quick wit and sarcasm are still appreciated in context. By the end of the film, the characters have been developed as likeable and the audience can’t help but to remain hopeful for them in their endeavors.
One of the only problems that I have with this film is just the general decision making of the characters. First of all, though, there is no way that even if someone made the impulsive choice to take in a stranded foster child that they would just avoid the situation for quite some time, as this would subject them to kidnapping and child abuse. Radnor’s friendship with Rasheen is endearing and the audience understands that Radnor’s character has good intentions for the foster child that is in a bad situation. However, he creates many more problems for himself when he is faced with the law after avoiding the responsibility of his decision. I love the light-hearted romance that presents itself and the honest representations of the character’s struggles, but the lack of responsibility on the part of these “adults” is somewhat frightening. Aside from the awkward title, though, which is actually linked to a cute conversation in the film, I have few complaints about the film and find it to be one that many would be able to enjoy.
When Sam’s novel is rejected, and the boy comes to stay with him, the film begins to play out as an allegory. The variation of shot sequences combined with an enjoyable indie soundtrack allows the audience to smoothly transition between the short stories that are playing out in the film. Sam’s best friend Annie, played by Malin Akerman, would not be complete without the illness known as Alopecia that presents her with a struggle to accept love from anyone except her deadbeat ex-boyfriend. This occurs as the viewers can see that her co-worker is obviously infatuated with her, but she continues to deny him. The themes of rejection and persistence are prominent. Sam’s novel is rejected, Annie rejects her co-worker until she sees his true intentions are only to genuinely love her, Mississippi rejects Sam because of his unwillingness to commit, and Mary Catherine rejects the idea of moving. Nonetheless, everyone is persistent, and the actors are enjoyable to watch, seeming genuinely authentic.
It is neat to observe just what the characters are trying to say through their words, but also in what they leave unsaid. The charming personalities of the characters, creative cinematography, and complex plot development creates artistic expression of cinema that is fun, enjoyable, and should be appreciated as Radnor’s first film that will hopefully lead to more in the future.