Film Review: HAPPENING: An Unflinching, Well Acted Look at a Delicate Topic [Sundance 2022]

Happening Review

Happening (2021) Film Review from the 44th Annual Sundance Film Festival, a movie directed by Audrey Diwan and starring Anamaria Vartolomei, Kacey Mottet Klein, Luana Bajrami, Louise Orry-Diquero, Louise Chevillotte, Pio Marmai, Sandrine Bonnaire, Leonor Oberson, Anna Mouglalis, Madeleine Baudot, Alice de Lencquesaing and Fabrizio Rongione.

Set in the early 1960’s, the new French film, Happening, is an authentic and frightening look at a young woman who becomes pregnant in a time when having an abortion was illegal. Directed by Audrey Diwan, this new movie is very detailed and accurate in the way it portrays the confusion its lead character faces when she is forced to confront the fact that she has conceived a child which she does not wish to keep. Anamaria Vartolomei delivers a powerful performance as Anne Duchesne, the 23-year-old main character of the movie. If we didn’t relate to her, the whole movie’s center would collapse. It is to Diwan’s credit that audiences are not only able to sympathize with Anne’s predicament, but viewers are also able to understand that something like this could happen to anyone. It is Vartolomei’s humanity as Anne that keeps us watching her as we wonder how this situation will resolve itself during the course of the film. This is not an easy movie to watch but it’s worth the investment.

Anne is a smart, talented student of literature who has become pregnant through her interaction with a political science major who will definitely not be very accepting of the news. She doesn’t want to have the baby because she doesn’t want to give up her life and also because she would resent the child if she were to keep it. However, due to strict abortion laws, she is unable to legally get the help she needs to have an abortion. At a couple of points, she takes matters into her own hands which includes a horrific scene to watch that is unnerving in its excesses.

We see that Anne is particularly gifted in her classroom studies in the beginning stages of the film. Her Professor (Pio Marmai) is particularly proud of the way she answers his difficult questions. Later in the film, though, as Anne struggles with her unwanted pregnancy, her grades dwindle and sustaining her scholarly potential remains questionable. Her acquaintances also bully her in the showers and life becomes very difficult for Anne as the film progresses.

There are a number of remarkable scenes throughout the film that are daring and true-to-life. One such sequence is when a male friend of Anne’s tries to get her to have sex with him partly because she can’t get pregnant again. This young man doesn’t understand or care about Anne’s personal dilemma and it’s heartbreaking to see Anne deal with this guy. Vartolomei plays this scene absolutely perfectly. There is also a performance by Louise Orry-Diquero that is quite strong. She plays Brigitte, one of Anne’s friends, who shows her pals how she achieves sexual satisfaction in a very intriguing scene.

Happening is particularly very well made. It shines in scenes where its shows how Anne feels isolated and alone throughout her journey. Her descent into depression is expertly conveyed with direction by Diwan that is always thoughtful and respectful to its main character and the audience. Anne’s loss of innocence is also another topic that the movie tackles as it shows how her naivete led to her situation.

Other supporting cast members who are effective include Fabrizio Rongione as a doctor who can’t seem to offer Anne any easy solutions to her dilemma. As Anne’s mother, Sandrine Bonnaire is also rather good here and this character helps us understand why Anne is afraid of losing everything she has worked so hard to achieve. Bonnaire captures the concerns of the mother to a tee.

Happening is a very good film but I felt there were a few flaws. One of the flaws is that the majority of the men portrayed seem totally unsympathetic to Anne’s situation which rings false in certain spots of the picture. Even though abortion was illegal back then, one likes the character of Anne so much that a viewer would think others would like her as well, but the young men portrayed here are mostly deadbeats who are only interested in themselves. Another problem is the movie’s overreliance on people (male or female) who don’t care about the lead character. We could have used some more heart in this movie from the supporting cast. Only Marmai as the professor really stands out as an understanding lesser male character even though he really can’t do anything to help her given his role as her teacher. At the end, there is some redemption to be found but it can be too little too late.

Still, Happening is a film that should be seen. It captures the essence of the time period it is set in and Vartolomei turns in a performance full of varied emotions, including extreme sensitivity. We want to see Anne overcome her inability to move forward with her life and genuinely find some sort of happiness. Whether or not she finds it is another movie altogether.

Rating: 8/10

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