by Jake Hjort, Contributing Writer
Living in the Pacific Northwest, I love going for a good hike out in the mountains. With crisp air, scenic views, and good company, there’s little as therapeutic as a nice day out on the trail. In many ways, Netflix’s newest rom-com offering, Happiness for Beginners, is like a nice hike. Following our protagonist Helen (Ellie Kemper) as she sets out on an expedition along the Appalachian Trail to reset her life after a divorce, the film is a bright and breezy experience, pretty to look at, and full of laughs. However, it is also afraid to stray away from the trail, resulting in a very predictable plot that at times feels paint-by-numbers.
Without a doubt, much of the enjoyment in the film comes from the supporting characters. Kemper and Luke Grimes are both serviceable in their roles as romantic leads, but it’s the rest of the cast that really steals the show. Ben Cook is a particular standout as Beckett, the hiking group’s overzealous guide who’s clearly more comfortable alone in the woods than with other people, and who is both incredibly funny and has one of the few effectively emotional scenes in the film. Along with Cook, many of the biggest laughs come from Nico Santos and Gus Birney as struggling actor Hugh and neurotic Kaylee, both of whom are deeply out of their element roughing it in the woods.
Where Happiness for Beginners struggles the most is with its central love story. Not only is there little chemistry between Kemper and Grimes, the writing of their two characters is absolutely abysmal. Jake, the best friend of Helen’s younger brother, goes from a character she seems largely ambivalent towards in one scene to one that she is irate to see in the next with no discernible reason to explain the sudden mood swing. As the story progresses, Helen predictably warms up to Jake and falls in love, although not without some heavily telegraphed twists and turns, and some of the clichéd drama that plagues modern romances and could be solved with a simple conversation.
Happiness for Beginners is a lot of fun when it’s a comedy about a group of strangers hiking the Appalachian Trail, but really struggles with being a romance. The former alone could make for a pretty good film, but it’s unfortunately bogged down by the latter, and the result is a frustrating experience. Like many hikes that I’ve been on myself, it wasn’t a bad experience, and there were some nice viewpoints along the way, but it isn’t a trek I’d be eager to go on again.
Rating: It’s Just Okay
Happiness for Beginners is currently streaming on Netflix
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