Review: 'Happy Christmas' Starring Anna Kendrick, Lena Dunham, and Melanie Lynskey

NOTE: This is a reprint of my review from the Sundance Film Festival. Happy Christmas is available now On Demand.

As the most prolific indie filmmaker around with six feature films over the last two years, Joe Swanberg has perfected the art of the loose-knit, improvisational comedy. Last year's Drinking Buddies was his first with actors audiences recognized, and it ended up on a number of "Top 10' lists while increasing his profile signicantly. His latest film, Happy Christmas, is another directionless charmer that touches on a number of ever-lasting themes dear to Swanberg's heart.

Despite the title, Christmas has very little to do with the story, which centers on new parents Jeff (Swanberg himself) and Kelly (Melanie Lynskey). A stay-at-home mom, Kelly is a writer itching to get back to work but is torn between her duties as a mother, taking care of their expressive, scene-stealing son (played by Swanberg's real-life kid). Their lives are comfortable until Jeff's train-wreck sister Jenny (Anna Kendrick) pops in for a visit of undetermined length. Having recently broken up with her boyfriend, Jenny is an absolute mess who threatens to ruin everything.

Hoping to instill some responsibility in Jenny, Jeff and Kelly ask her to babysit, only to have her party too hard the night before with best friend, Carson (Lena Dunham). She hooks up with a pot-dealing nice guy (Mark Webber, stuck in these roles for eternity) and has Kelly worried about having her around, especially after Jenny nearly burns the house down.

But Jenny also proves to be the spark that reignites Kelly's creative side, helping her realize the value in writing trashy novels of the Danielle Steele variety. The film nearly abandons Jenny's dysfunction in favor of Kelly's balancing act between motherhood and parenthood. Swanberg has always favored an improvisational approach, allowing his actors the freedom to personalize their characters, but it works only sparingly here, and always when Dunham is around to anchor. One instance where it shines is during a funny conversation about the language of "mommy porn". The first half of the film moves along glacially, saved only by Swanberg's son who is already a future star. Sometimes you can tell they just plop the camera down and let the little guy go, and it's always a treat. All of the performances are terrific, but Lynskey really stands out as Kelly, who worries if wanting a career makes her a bad mother. Kendrick somehow manages to make you care about Jenny despite her repeated bad behavior.

Issues of parenthood, loyalty, substance abuse, and more are touched upon briefly, but at only 78 minutes in length the film doesn't attempt too much beyond being a funny, warm-hearted slice of life.

 Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Anna Kendrick and Lena Dunham Share a 'Happy Christmas' in New Trailer

The prolific Joe Swanberg (Drinking Buddies, All the Light in the Sky) has so many movies coming out at all times of the year that he's even got a Christmas movie arriving in the thick of summer. At Sundance he debuted Happy Christmas, which like many of his recent films features a big-time Hollywood cast starring in a film about family dysfunction over the holidays.

Boasting the star power of Anna Kendrick, Lena Dunham, Melanie Lynskey, and Mark Webber, Happy Christmas centers on the hard partying, hard-drinking Jenny (Kendrick) who spends Christmas with her brother, his wife, and their young son. Jenny's life is a wreck after a break-up with her boyfriend, and the irresponsible actions she takes shake-up her brother's happy home.

I enjoyed the film well enough, calling it a "funny, warm-hearted slice of life", but it probably will have a tough time finding an audience outside of Swanberg's most ardent supporters. Happy Christmas hits VOD on June 26th and in theaters July 25th.

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Joe Swanberg Adds Anna Kendrick, Orlando Bloom, and Jenny Slate to 'Digging for Fire'

Is Joe Swanberg the American version of Takashi Miike? It certainly seems like it. Swanberg is no less prolific than the famed Japanese filmmaker, completing about a dozen movies over the last three years. What started out as the template for the indie "mumblecore" movement has since broadened out to include high-profile stars, such as with two of his most recent films, Drinking Buddies and Happy Christmas. And now Swanberg has brought back the casts of those movies for his next film, the already-wrapped Digging for Fire.

Drinking Buddies stars Jake Johnson and Anna Kendrick are part of a phenomenal cast that includes Jenny Slate (Obvious Child), Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Brie Larson, Orlando Bloom, and comedian Mike Birbiglia (Sleepwalk with Me) for the film Swanberg co-wrote with Johnson. Plot details are being kept hidden but DeWitt and Johnson are said to be the leads with the rest having supporting roles of varying size. Ben Richardson, who gave Beasts of the Southern Wild its unique visual look, shot the film on 35mm.

No word on when this will open, but I'd be shocked if it doesn't hit a few upcoming film festivals. Swanberg's latest, Happy Christmas, arrives in July and you can check out my review of it here. [TheWrap]

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New Trailer for Ti West Horror 'The Sacrament', Produced by Eli Roth

Eli Roth knows a thing or two about movies following Americans who get in over their heads while on vacation abroad, and Ti West is no slouch in the horror realm either. So the combination of the two should bode well for The Sacrament, which West is directing with Roth lending a hand as producer. Last week a red band trailer for the film was released, and now a new all-ages version takes you into the heart of darkness.

Featuring an impressive cast that includes Joe Swanberg, AJ Bowen, Upstream Color stand-out Amy Seimetz, Kentucker Audley, and Gene Jones, the film follows two VICE reporters in Central America documenting a friend's search for his missing sister. They wind up Eden Parish, an isolated religious community led by a charismatic, mysterious figure known as "the Father". As you can imagine, things don't go too well after that.

The Sacrament hits VOD on May 1st, with a theatrical run on June 6th. Check out the green and red band trailers below.


The Sacrament - Red Band Trailer by Dread Central

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Sundance Review: 'Happy Christmas' Starring Anna Kendrick, Lena Dunham, and Melanie Lynskey

As the most prolific indie filmmaker around with six feature films over the last two years, Joe Swanberg has perfected the art of the loose-knit, improvisational comedy. Last year's Drinking Buddies was his first with actors audiences recognized, and it ended up on a number of "Top 10' lists while increasing his profile signicantly. His latest film, Happy Christmas, is another directionless charmer that touches on a number of ever-lasting themes dear to Swanberg's heart.

Despite the title, Christmas has very little to do with the story, which centers on new parents Jeff (Swanberg himself) and Kelly (Melanie Lynskey). A stay-at-home mom, Kelly is a writer itching to get back to work but is torn between her duties as a mother, taking care of their expressive, scene-stealing son (played by Swanberg's real-life kid). Their lives are comfortable until Jeff's train-wreck sister Jenny (Anna Kendrick) pops in for a visit of undetermined length. Having recently broken up with her boyfriend, Jenny is an absolute mess who threatens to ruin everything.

Hoping to instill some responsibility in Jenny, Jeff and Kelly ask her to babysit, only to have her party too hard the night before with best friend, Carson (Lena Dunham). She hooks up with a pot-dealing nice guy (Mark Webber, stuck in these roles for eternity) and has Kelly worried about having her around, especially after Jenny nearly burns the house down.


But Jenny also proves to be the spark that reignites Kelly's creative side, helping her realize the value in writing trashy novels of the Danielle Steele variety. The film nearly abandons Jenny's dysfunction in favor of Kelly's balancing act between motherhood and parenthood. Swanberg has always favored an improvisational approach, allowing his actors the freedom to personalize their characters, but it works only sparingly here, and always when Dunham is around to anchor. One instance where it shines is during a funny conversation about the language of "mommy porn". The first half of the film moves along glacially, saved only by Swanberg's son who is already a future star. Sometimes you can tell they just plop the camera down and let the little guy go, and it's always a treat. All of the performances are terrific, but Lynskey really stands out as Kelly, who worries if wanting a career makes her a bad mother. Kendrick somehow manages to make you care about Jenny despite her repeated bad behavior.

Issues of parenthood, loyalty, substance abuse, and more are touched upon briefly, but at only 78 minutes in length the film doesn't attempt too much beyond being a funny, warm-hearted slice of life.

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Review: Joe Swanberg's 'All the Light in the Sky' Starring Jane Adams

One can't help but want All the Light in the Sky to be better than it actually turns out to be. This unassuming little indie marks a return to the" mumblecore" conversation pieces of director and co-writer Joe Swanberg, and stars vaunted character actress Jane Adams (also co-writer) in a very rare leading performance. She plays the sort of quirky yet fragile characters that make us want to laugh with and protect her, but haven’t led to Adams as any sort of mainstream player other than her hysterical few years on HBO's Hung. Clearly, this is a film dear to her heart as it touches on aging and the superficiality of Hollywood, but this formless, momentum-free indie isn't just a snoozer, it's downright comatose.

Marie is essentially a stylized version of Adams; an aging actress in her 40s with a lengthy career that has made her a known commodity, but not necessarily a star. The few roles that were coming her way are now going to Kristen Wiig, but she's content to take gigs on no-budget art house films because they're better than nothing. She lives on the shores of Malibu, jumping out of bed early every morning, changing into her wetsuit (the film opens with some stark nudity) to paddle board. Her life is calming, free of entanglements, and more than a little lonely. It's also free of any excitement, until Marie's niece Faye (Sophia Takal) arrives in town for a few days. Faye is 25-years-old, an aspiring actress, and clearly someone who looks up to her experienced aunt, Marie revels in the chance to impart the wisdom she's learned from years in the business.

The film hits its high moments while Marie and Faye are discussing the many hardships faced by actresses in Hollywood. Marie was never famous, but she knows people who are, and the feeling of being left behind still stings her deeply. She reflects on her waning sexual power, and the effect it's had on her not just professionally, but in her personal relationships with men. Now hitting middle age, she's unsure of herself sexually and unwilling to make compromises with her life. She has an older best friend, a sort of Zen paddle boarder, who she keeps finding reasons not to commit to. Marie begins what appears to be a fulfilling relationship with another man, and when it gets too serious drops it like the veggies in her complicated health smoothies.

All of this should make for an intriguing character study, especially with a younger aspiring actress tossed into the mix, but the film is remarkably free of any drama. While Swanberg gives the film a naturalistic look and Adams fully embodies a woman still in self-discovery, there's very little that truly digs beneath the surface.  Marie has extended conversations with an electrician that go absolutely nowhere, and there's the not-so-subtle comparison to her and the beautiful, picturesque beach homes slowly being worn over the years. Despite the many keen observations All the Light in the Sky makes, ironically it's too superficial to take us anywhere interesting.

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New Trailer for Joe Swanberg's '24 Exposures'

The prolific Joe Swanberg doesn't seem to be slowing down a lick, even as 2013 has been a breakthrough year for the indie director. Not only did he give us one of the year's finest comedies in Drinking Buddies, and his Jane Adams-led drama All the Light in the Sky just hit VOD, but he's taking to Sundance next month with the comedy Happy Christmas. And as if that wasn't enough, he's got thriller 24 Exposures following right on its heels, and now we've received a new trailer for it.

Swanberg also penned the screenplay which centers on Billy (Adam Wingard), a photographer who specializes in fetish images of naked women in various death poses, until one of his models turns up dead and he becomes the suspect in a fragile cop's investigation.  It's definitely a change of pace for Swanberg but the familiar traits of his previous work; the dialogue, the character interaction, the low-budget aesthetic, are all there and should make for a fascinating combination in this genre.

Co-starring Simon Barrett, Sophia Takal and Helen Rogers, 24 Exposures hits VOD on January 24th.


"24 Exposures" Trailer from director Joe Swanberg by thesevensees

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Trailer for Joe Swanberg's 'All the Light in the Sky' Starring Jane Adams

Always a terrific character actress who has worked with some of today's great filmmakers, Jane Adams has never really gotten her big break. She's appeared in a number of my favorite movies, from Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle to The Anniversary Party to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and was the best part in HBO's underrated (and sorely missed) series, Hung. And now she's drawing upon her lack of celebrity in All the Light in the Sky, the latest film from Drinking Buddies director Joe Swanberg.

Swanberg and Adams co-wrote the script in which she plays a struggling actress living in Malibu who sees the opportunities drying up as she gets older. Sophia Takal plays her niece, and when she shows up for a weekend visit, it turns out to be one of confronting fears and insecurities, and possibly taking a new chance at life.

The trailer suggests another funny, intimate character piece from Swanberg, who continues to be on one heck of a roll. The first thing that popped to mind for me was this could be for Adams what Hello I Must Be Going was for Melanie Lynskey, proving once and for all that she's capable of so much more when given the opportunity. I'll definitely be checking out All the Light in the Sky when it hits VOD and theaters December 20th.

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First Trailer For 'Drinking Buddies', Starring Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, And Anna Kendrick

The name on every critic's lips by the end of this year's SXSW was Joe Swanberg, the indie director who had been one of the stalwarts of the indie "mumblecore" movement with films like LOL and Hannah Takes the Stairs. Like his indie colleagues the Duplass Brothers and Lynn Shelton, he eventually began to branch out, drawing in bigger stars while keeping the same character-driven aesthetic, and that seems to be what had people responding to his latest film, the relationship comedy Drinking Buddies.

Magnolia has released the first trailer, and it looks like a real charmer with great comic chemistry between stars Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson. They play best friends and drinking pals who begin to see romantic potential in one another, but it's complicated due to their other relationships. There are a lot of great little moments sprinkled throughout, and of course plenty of frosty beverages get tossed back. The cast is rounded out by Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston, who also appear in top form. Wilde's been in need of a juicy lead role for awhile, and Johnson was terrific in Safety Not Guaranteed. He's apparently good in New Girl, also, but that's one of those shows I'll never watch.

Drinking Buddies hits ITunes on July 25th before a theatrical release on August 23rd.


DRINKING BUDDIES - Trailer by dmagianet

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Melanie Lynskey, Lena Dunham, Anna Kendrick, and Mark Webber starring in Joe Swanberg's 'Happy Christmas'

As you well know, we (or maybe it's just me) are huge fans of Melanie Lysnkey around here, and relish any chance to see her whether it's on the big or small screen. Her film Hello I Must Be Going was on my list of 2012's Hidden Cinematic Gems, and frankly I feel she gave the best lead performance of the year. Fortunately, we'll have a chance to see her in action again soon, and it's in a holiday-themed film from the immensely talented and red hot Joe Swanberg.

In a conversation with Indiewire, Swanberg revealed he had completed Happy Christmas, which stars Lynskey, Lena Dunham, Mark Webber, and Anna Kendrick. Kendrick starred in Swanberg's Drinking Buddies, which was a hit out of SXSW and picked up by Magnolia Pictures for release this summer. The film will center on a family during the holiday season. In a change of pace, Swanberg will be venturing away from the digital format that has helped take him to such quick success, working with Beasts of the Southern Wild cinematographer Ben Richardson to shoot it on 16mm film.

Swanberg has the Jane Adams-led film All the Light in the Sky coming up this fall, and another indie film titled 23 Exposures. As for Happy Christmas, it won't be ready until sometime next year, where he hopes it will be hit the festival circuit.

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