Have you grown less happy as you’ve grown older? Has life taken a toll on you? Or has someone pointed out that you’re no longer the live-wire you used to be?
That’s exactly the rut Helen (Ellie Kemper) finds herself in, in Netflix’s new romantic comedy, “Happiness for Beginners”.
An English teacher from Pittsburgh, Helen is 40 years old and recently divorced. Deciding that she needs to ‘reset’ her life, she signs up for a strenuous group hiking trip across the Appalachian Trail.
Helen, quite frankly, is not a fun person to be around. She is grumpy, complains endlessly and is irritable, most likely from her newly self-imposed sugar-restricted diet. Quite simply, not-so-happy Helen needs to lighten up!
Her hiking group is a rather eclectic bunch, most of whom are younger than her. She immediately hits it off with Hugh (Nico Santos) who is closer to her age. But there is one person she did not expect to see – Jake (Luke Grimes), her younger brother’s (hot) best friend!
Rather predictably, things go wrong for Helen from the get-go – she’s not hiker material and injures herself early on. But in her ramblings over her present-day frustrations, viewers gain a better insight into Helen’s past life, something Kemper tackles well to bring her character to life.
And while many of her life experiences have admittedly been nasty, her portrayal of Helen isn’t too grim, making her a relatable character that one can empathise with – and cheer on.
At the end of the movie, after she has unloaded her “baggage”, Helen morphs into a more likeable version of her former self – and it’s a good reminder not to judge a book by its cover.
But this is a romcom, so no surprises as to how and between whom, love blossoms. After all, the trailer gives away most of it – if not all.
That aside, this movie has lots of beautiful cinematography – rolling hills, sparkling lakes, cascading waterfalls, gorgeous sunsets and clear skies sparkling with stars. And at night, the group huddle around a cosy campfire – where mosquitoes and other insects are curiously absent.
Nevertheless, these scenes may leave you with a renewed appreciation for the beauty of nature and if you’ve been hankering for a vacation, you just might be compelled to book a trip – pronto!
If you’ve loved Santos as Oliver in “Crazy Rich Asians”, you’ll once again be charmed by his performance as Hugh. Flamboyant and refreshingly honest, he brings a fun element to the movie. He is the perfect sidekick to have, especially when one is far away from civilisation with no Netflix.
Blythe Danner, as Helen’s grandmother, is delightful as always. The award-winning actress lights up the screen with her jovial personality – though, with her youthful looks, it is tough believing that she’s old enough to be a grandmother of two adults.
The absence of graphic sexual content is also a welcome change, considering what’s been coming out of Netflix lately.
If there are any gripes, however, it would be this: how can the hiking group – stuck in the middle of nowhere with no toilet or toiletries – look as good as they do? It is sacrilegious, really.
All in all, if this movie was an ice cream, it would be plain vanilla. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and some may even find it slow-paced to the point of tears.
But, taking a leaf out of Helen’s book, a little less excitement and going back to basics – and nature – can be a refreshing change of scenery indeed.
‘Happiness for Beginners’ is streaming on Netflix.