Happythankyoumoreplease

Happythankyoumoreplease emerges from the American independent film movement of the late 2000s, winning the audience award at the 26th Sundance Film Festival when it debuted in 2010. The film is actor Josh Radnor's directorial debut, who is better known for his role as Ted Mosby in the long-running sitcom "How I Met Your Mother". Besides directing and writing the movie, Radnor also takes on the lead role as Sam Wexler, a struggling novelist in New York City whose life tumbles in unexpected ways.

Fans of character-driven narratives will find echoes of Woody Allen-style storytelling in this charming exploration of young adult lives. Happythankyoumoreplease carefully balances humor and drama while navigating the peripatetic romances and searching friendships of a group of creatively inclined twenty and thirty-somethings in New York City.

Sam is an unpublished novelist, wrestling with the challenges of expressing his voice in a sea of New York City writers. His best friend is Annie, played by Malin Akerman, a woman who is struggling to love herself while living with an immune disorder that has left her without any hair. The friendship between Sam and Annie is a core aspect of the film's narrative, providing fodder for many comedic moments, emotional complexities, and surprises along the way.

Another standout performance is by Zoe Kazan, who portrays Mary Catherine, a woman tethered between her love for her boyfriend and her commitment to the city she loves. Throughout the film, the characters grapple with the universal issues of love, commitment, identity, and timing – asking themselves tough questions without easy answers.

An unexpected subplot arises when Sam crosses paths with a lost boy, Rasheen, played by Michael Algieri, on the subway. In an impulsive decision, Sam takes Rasheen under his wing, a move that reverberates through the rest of his life and relationships. This encounter becomes a catalyst for Sam’s personal growth, acting as a mirror juxtaposing Sam's competitive, sometimes-difficult world of adults trying to find their path in life.

On another front, we watch Annie navigate the world of dating. Annie, confident yet vulnerable, adds depth to the film through her interactions with Sam #2, an endearing suitor named after her best friend. Their unique relationship, interspersed with delightful humor and the right punch of reality, adds to the film’s many heartwarming moments.

Happythankyoumoreplease smartly captures the spirit of the times and the contemporary struggle with love and life. It encapsulates a particular millennial zeitgeist, focusing on the in-betweens, the space where adulthood is 'supposed' to happen, but where everyone is still figuring out what that even means. The film's title, itself an allusion to this balance of gratitude and desire, encapsulates the attitudes and dreams of its characters – they are grateful for what they have yet yearn for more from their lives, relationships, and themselves.

The movie renders an authentic portrayal of life in New York City, operating within settings that pulsate with an energy that will feel familiar to anyone who has lived in a big city. Marking the landscape are tiny apartments, cluttered with relatable trinkets, tangles of relationships and chance encounters, all seen through the lens of Radnor’s humorous and observant screenplay.

One of the film’s main strengths is its natural dialogue, which lends authenticity to the characters and their experiences. The movie doesn’t shy away from presenting raw emotions and life’s messiness, resulting in genuine conversations that oscillate between import and the mundane.

In terms of technical aspects, the movie encompasses intelligent use of montage and music to further the plot. It features an upbeat indie-pop soundtrack that gives a buoyancy to the movie, underlining its attention towards a generation’s experiences.

Happythankyoumoreplease does a fine job of portraying the imperfections of its characters and the challenges they face. The film may seem low-key, but its subtlety promotes a deeper connection with its audience, becoming identifiable yet profound.

With a runtime of little under 100 minutes, it succinctly presents relatable characters navigating their messy, unpredictable, and charming lives. Its target audience is explicit - those who appreciate dialogues about love, life, and everything abstract in between. Those with a penchant for indie dramas will find Happythankyoumoreplease a refreshing, heartfelt watch that revels in its simplicity while exploring complex emotional landscapes.