Is Yellowstone star's new Netflix movie worth a watch?
Happiness for Beginners follows the long-standing tradition of stories about uptight city women on the verge of a mental breakdown – because of a breakup, divorce, loss, trauma; take your pick – who travel to nature to find themselves, instead finding passionate love.
No, that's not too specific to be its own subgenre, as previous movies like Under the Tuscan Sun, Sweet Home Alabama or A Perfect Pairing, and TV series like Netflix's Virgin River, have proved in the past.
Their ultimate goal? Providing us with some romantic entertainment while delivering useful-even-if-basic life lessons.
Yellowstone's Luke Grimes and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's Ellie Kemper star in this light-hearted, occasionally witty romantic comedy on Netflix, which rides on the genre's common tropes with enough charm to convince romance-obsessed viewers.
Based on Katherine Center's novel of the same name, the story follows a recently-divorced English teacher, Helen (Kemper), who embarks on a hiking trip for beginners in order to reset.
As she puts it: "I'm here because I want to stop breaking promises to myself, and I want to start keeping them."
Helen is the kind of person that carefully controls the amount of sugar in her diet and gives her brother a laminated list of tasks to do while she's gone. Scarred by bad experiences in family and love, she's done playing it safe, so she's well willing to go and break a knee if necessary.
Turns out, the hiking course was harder than she anticipated, and it doesn't make it easier that among the eccentric strangers in the group she finds a familiar face: Jake (Grimes), her brother's best friend, who since the very beginning of the film makes it clear (to us, at least) that he's terribly in love with her.
Is it creepy he followed her to a moment of personal resetting in the mountains? A little bit. But we're talking about Luke Grimes playing a handsome doctor who likes to study sea animals and wears multiple sexy-smart-guy glasses, so, honestly, who cares.
Alongside the main couple, the movie introduces a group of mostly-likeable supporting characters, including Hugh (Superstore's Nico Santos), who hates nature, to Mason (Esteban Benito), a finance bro who learns some teamwork lessons.
This group of hiking aficionados is completed by strict troop leader Beckett (Ben Cook), spiritual optimist Windy (Shayvawn Webster), Kaylee, a not-so-clever-but-sweet young woman (Gus Birney) and Sue (Julia Shiplett), who proves incapable of maintaining her vow of silence. They provide a pleasant background for the protagonists, even if they barely leave a mark on the story.
Now, beyond the romance you tuned in for, Happiness for Beginners is attempting to make compelling points about the search for happiness in modern life.
The result is imbalanced, trapped between messages you could find on a cheesy Etsy mug and honest, positivity-focused advice that reminds us what's important in life. Mix that with some nostalgic feelings toward nature – ah, the simple life! – and the desperate need for a technology blackout, and you'll get what this movie is going for.
In one particular scene, the characters list three things that brought them happiness that day, sending the universe a message of appreciation of every tiny lovely detail we can enjoy in our busy and complicated lives. Yep, no cynics allowed here!
Written and directed by Vicky Wight (The Lost Husband), this movie is a comfort watch, perfect for those who crave uncomplicated, undemanding Netflix rom-coms which occasionally manage to snatch a laugh or two.
Happiness for Beginners is available on Netflix UK.
You Might Also Like
