The central theme is simple: don’t be honest. The opening image flawlessly captures the central theme and tone of the piece as well as the struggle of our many protagonists. In fact, the arc of this 2+ hour nightmare may be the most conventional thing about it, and it provides a narrative through-line to this painful slice-of-life that Solondz has crafted. And while the seemingly randomly edited braided narrative may be just as unconventional, the story he tells doesn’t fall far from traditional structure. It’s simple, matter-of-fact, and uncaring of the gravity of the content. Any other sort of style would betray the authenticity of the world. It resembles a multi-cam sitcom at almost every turn, and it’s perfect. Only the music affects the deadpan execution of the often obscene content, and even then, it’s often cheery. Tod Solondz delivers every scene–whether it’s a conversation, the premeditated assault of an 11-year-old, or a mass-shooting in the same vein. It’s written deadpan, it’s shot and edited deadpan. The next shot, he pulls out a gun and shoots everyone.Īfter four shots of people being killed, we end with the bloodshed. The first three lines all in one short, simple camera move. The first shot is a single panning shot reveals the sunny, warm day, gay and straight couples, family picnics, beautiful sunbathers, and Bill on the hill. I think it’s important to look at how this translated in production. It’s exactly what Solondz wants to show, nothing more, nothing less.
#THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS SCREENPLAY FULL#
That six line description translates to a full minute of screen time, and yet those six lines aren’t open for interpretation. Take the dream sequence of Bill opening fire on an unsuspecting park for example. Besides the occasional “CLOSE ON,” the action is written without thought to the technical execution, and yet the film is shot exactly how it’s written. The simplicity and sparseness of the action translates directly into the screen. Bill’s office is essentially 4 green walls and two chairs. Scenes frequently begin with a close-up rather than an establishing shot. And what’s so impressive about his style is how literally it translates to the film. It’s a level of economic writing that I haven’t seen from another writer. We’ve never seen these characters or this setting before. Slugline, who’s in the room, then a 3 minute monologue. The little action and description he gives is what turns up in the final film. This isn’t layover habits of a playwright-turned-screenwriter, nor is it laziness. Scene construction is very simple, settings are established with little more than the slugline, and conversations play out with very little action interspersed. So tight in fact, that to someone who has not seen the finished product, the script comes off as very nearly lazy. Writer/director Tod Solondz has wrapped a seething anger into a remarkably tight script. It’s like an episode of Full House written and directed by Lars Von Trier. It makes me laugh, and it makes me sick to my stomach, often simultaneously.
#THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS SCREENPLAY MOVIE#
It’s a movie that I need time away from after each viewing, it’s effortlessly hilarious, and meticulously disturbing. Happiness (1998) is a film like no other.
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