In ‘Happily,’ 10 millennials walk into an Airbnb ....
“How did we find this place, anyway?” It’s a familiar line in a new genre of thriller that’s emerged the last few years: Airbnb horror films. There are a few constants: Attractive millennials, lots of good booze, a gorgeous weekend rental. And then something scary happens, and finally someone says: “Wait, how did we find this place?” Oops! Suddenly everyone realizes that the house actually chose THEM. By then, it’s too late to escape.
By the time “Happily,” an ambitious, sometimes compelling but wildly uneven debut feature by BenDavid Grabinski, gets to this point, it’s already lost us a bit, and started feeling like yet another slick hipster horror film — you know, for those who like their millennials attractive and their chef-quality kitchen appliances even more so. That’s too bad, because the setup — the first act, as it were — is delicious.
“Happily” begins with this question: Does the “law of diminishing returns” apply in a biological sense to marriages, or can a couple remain as infatuated with each other as the day they met, year after year? The test case is Tom (Joel McHale) and Janet (Kerry Bishe), an absurdly attractive couple still in the honeymoon phase of their marriage. These two can’t go to a party without having a steamy tryst in the bathroom.
Their friends are annoyed — and not just because the bathroom is tied up. They’re annoyed because this honeymoon phase has lasted 14 years and shows no sign of abating.
They go home and tell each other: “We are not the weird ones. They are.” Soon though, they have worse problems. A creepy older man (Stephen Root) shows up at their house with a briefcase, explaining that he works for “the city” and they have a major malfunction — a rare dual malfunction — in that the law of diminishing returns inexplicably doesn’t apply to them. It all needs to be corrected with an injection. Once injected, they “will finally be totally normal.” And they don’t have a choice.
Not to reveal too much, but violence ensues.
Without spoiling any secrets, the film progresses in horror-film mode before tying things up in a somewhat clever, unexpected way. By then, though, you may have given up on this group.
Call it the law of diminishing returns. “Happily,” a Saban Films release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America.
Running time: 96 minutes.