I’ve been known to be a bit squeamish about gory horror films and the like, but the only movie I ever completely gave up on watching on video simply because I couldn’t handle the darn thing contained not a speck of blood as far as I know. It was Todd Solodnz’s “Happiness.” While I had enjoyed his earlier “Welcome to the Dollhouse,” this was a whole new level of emotional horror and, at least at that moment near the turn of this century, I simply wasn’t up to the task. Perhaps out of embarrassment or feeling left out of the loop, I’ve skipped the two multistory films the oddball auteur has made since.
However, even though this is said to be some kind of companion piece of quasi sequel (with different actors) to those earlier films, I am now intrigued by his “Life During Wartime.”
Whatever else is true, it’s great to see Charlotte Rampling underperforming her heart out and Allison Janney has got to be the most underrated actress of the millennium. H/t Nikki Finke.
