Film Review: MY HAPPY ENDING (2023): Andie MacDowell Turns in a Solid Performance in a Heartfelt Comedy/Drama

My Happy Ending Review

My Happy Ending (2023) Film Review, a movie directed by Tal Granit and Sharon Maymon, written by Rona Tamir and Anat Gov and starring Andie MacDowell, Tamsin Greig, Miriam Margolyes, Sally Phillips, Rakhee Thakrar, Tom Cullen, David Walliams, Lily Travers, Michelle Greenidge and Bhavik C. Pankhania.

Directors Tal Granit and Sharon Maymon bring the moving story of a woman dying of cancer to the screen with the very well acted comedy/drama, My Happy Ending. This film is based upon a play and stars Andie MacDowell in the lead role as an actress named Julia Roth who finds herself undergoing treatment (chemotherapy) alongside three other women who help inspire Julia through their interactions with her. It’s an uncomfortable movie to watch at times but MacDowell elevates the material above the norm and that occasional discomfort is easier to tolerate thanks to MacDowell’s very relatable turn in the film.

Julia is struggling in her acting career when she enters the hospital to get cancer treatment that will help prolong her life. The three women/cancer patients that Julia will be sharing the treatment space with are buzzing about her when they see her come in. These women include Mikey (Sally Phillips) who has a troubled history with her daughter. Then there’s Judy (Miriam Margolyes), who is a true fighter and, finally, the young Muslim mother, Imaan (Rakhee Thakrar). Julia understandably wants her own room but the nurse, Emilia (a fine Michelle Greenidge) and the doctor (Tom Cullen) tell her she must stay put and that there are no single rooms available.

This is essentially a premise where four women end up together who seem to have little in common until they get to talking and discover they are alike in ways other than their cancer diagnoses. These women end up transporting to other locations in their imaginations such as Imaan’s home, a place in the middle of nowhere with a table filled with food and other places that help these ladies escape from their reality, if only for a little while.

A terrific scene has Julia saying she’s had enough heavy love affairs but yearns to relive the experience of a first kiss with all the warm feelings that come with one. MacDowell is especially good in this scene, adding a great deal of complexity to her role. She is also strong in her scenes with her manager, Nancy (Tamsin Greig) with whom Julia shared a large portion of her life. Julia and Nancy got matching tattoos at various stages of their lives but are tested by Julia’s diagnosis which suggests her time could run out much faster than expected without treatment. Greig and MacDowell’s scenes together are truly heartwarming in certain sections, while in others, extremely difficult to watch because of Julia’s own personal desires regarding her future. Greig is excellent in creating a multi-faceted character with a tremendous amount of depth. Both actresses play off each other very believably.

The three women beside Julia in treatment are also expertly played by the actresses at hand. Sally Phillips creates a character with a lot of heart and humor whereas Miriam Margolyes keeps the audience invested in her character who helps point out that she, herself, is living against the odds and that miracles could happen. Rakhee Thakrar holds her own beside these fine actresses and is also very suitable for her part in the movie.

My Happy Ending walks a fine line between being funny and extremely serious. The film doesn’t always succeed in balancing the two genres. There are some scenes which cut deep to the bone and seem like they belong in their own separate movie. That being said, MacDowell’s performance ultimately carries the movie. Her supporting cast shines beside her. MacDowell has always been one of our most underrated actresses and this film is proof that she’s truly a talent that deserves to be mentioned more often when it comes to fine, talented actresses working today.

In the end, My Happy Ending, says some powerful things about family, friendships and even life itself. Despite its flaws, MacDowell makes the movie work and the audience will be invested in seeing what will happen regarding Julia’s future (however brief it may or may not be). There’s a lot to admire here even if some of the movie shifts back and forth uneasily between comedy and drama. In the end, MacDowell makes the film worthwhile.

Rating: 7/10

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