Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

You know how some movies just never leave you? Well, I purchased Happy Christmas about two (2) years ago mainly because of the title and because it was priced reasonably. Heck, most people enjoy Christmas themed films. Buyer beware! This is not a Christmas themed movie. I am writing this review because I noticed it is going to go back in re- sale as a new item, and you can save your money, but more importantly any disappointment by avoiding this piece of crap.Additionally it stars the triple threat that guarantees a flop. Three of my LEAST favorite actresses. The three very limited talented stars I am referring to are Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, and Lena Dunham. Oh, and just for some good measure of locking in that five star crap rating, let's throw in writer/director Joe Swanberg to star in his own feature film. But I am not done yet. We are not only forced to listen to writer/director Joe Swanberg, not two Swanbergs, but a total of three Swanbergs. This film is filled with nothing but nepotism and nonsensical jibber jabber that made me want to gnaw on my knuckles.I gave the film a 1 out of 10 rating because you have to give a film something on a scale of 1 to 10 stars. Too bad IMDb did not allow IMDb users to allow just one minus rating for every 100 films reviewed because if they did I would use my negative rating to score Happy Christmas a MINUS 10 rating.

terrible all the way around except the baby was cute at points but seemed poorly written or poorly performed... both at times..listen guys..just look at who ever you are there with...the entire movie..might get weird after 10 min or so but it will be more entertaining. at first i was like what..her friend and her friends husband is a film maker..uh oh! nope its her brother..it was over after that..sorry Anna ill be honest i liked pitch perfect..this movie..was cine muck............guys..if you are doing this..she is worth it right? i have faith in you..good luck!

"Let her prove to us that that was a one time thing." Jenny (Kendrick) has just gone through a bad breakup and decides to move in with her brother and his wife Kelly (Lynskey). Almost instantly she causes stress and is not the ideal house guest. Little by little she starts to calm down and even gets Kelly writing again. Jenny continues to struggle with her personal life and it continues to affect everyone around her. After watching and really liking Drinking Buddies I was looking forward to watching this. This movie had a very similar feel to that one as it feels like the dialog was pretty much made up on the spot. Drinking Buddies had something about it that made you really care for the characters and root for them. One of the problems with this movie is that everyone felt flat and I found it hard to make a connection with any of the characters. I'm not saying that this is a bad movie because it was OK but it really seemed to go nowhere. Overall, nothing terrible but not exciting or gripping at all. A disappointment after Drinking Buddies. I give it a B-

Not since Drinking Buddies have I seen an Anna Kendrick film and this saddens me in such a way. For, while she may not have the profile of some of her contemporaries like Emma Stone or Jennifer Lawrence, just she has carved herself a nice niche in the film industry. Mostly with her being in quality indie films, or just films which come out of nowhere like Pitch Perfect. Leading to the question if this film is another one of those under the radar films worth watching?Characters & StorySomewhere in Chicago lives a well-adjusted family comprised of Jeff (Joe Swanberg), Kelly (Melanie Lynskey), and baby Jude (Jude Swanberg). Jeff is some sort of film maker, and Kelly is a homemaker who has a book published. But as she watches Jeff go outside the home and work, and she has but Jude and the house to tend to, there rises this almost envy of needing to get dressed and go somewhere on a daily basis. So when Jeff's little sister Jenny (Anna Kendrick) needs somewhere to stay after breaking up with her boyfriend, she seems like a god send. However, with Jenny not mature enough to really take on the load Kelly would like her to, it does bring to question what can she bring to the table? Something Jenny struggles with as she tries to find her place in what already seems to be a tight-knit little family.PraiseWhen it comes to this film, it is more certain scenes than the film as a whole which deserve praise. Such as a conversation Jenny, Kelly, and Carson (Lena Dunham) have in which Kelly speaks on her issues with being a stay at home mom and how complicated her feelings are about the job. And also there is another good scene which deals with Jenny and Carson helping Kelly write her next book.CriticismBut, as a whole, this movie keeps things relatively low key which makes the film really boring. For one, nobody is that interesting of a character. Albeit Jeff has this sort of Marshal, from How I Met Your Mother, type persona, but with no one getting any sort of back-story to liven them up, it becomes far too set in realism to be appealing. Then, on top of the characters being dull, the story itself doesn't invigorate things. For not only does nothing seriously happen, but even in the few prized moments which help push you toward finishing the movie there aren't any performances which truly liven up either the characters or the movie.And really, it is sad how only two scenes actually get your attention in a film a little over an hour. Making it seem so strange that the same person who made this film directed and wrote Drinking Buddies. For while Drinking Buddies was so good it should have been a pilot to a series, this feels like an indie short which somehow got the funding to be extended until a full-length movie. One which probably only die-hard fans of those involved will know about for this film highlights why Video on Demand exists. Because the names maybe recognizable, and usually trust worthy, but theaters know they won't make any real money off this.Overall: Skip ItWith this film, there aren't a lot of redeeming values to it. For while I liked the conversation Kelly has with Jenny and Carson about the issues she sometimes has with being a stay at home mother, as well as a conversation about writing erotica sans the words penis and pussy, the film as a whole just doesn't have a selling point besides Kendrick and Dunham's name. Hence why this is being labeled as a "Skip It" for it really does feel like Swanberg probably used bits of his life to create a movie which maybe could have worked as a short, but instead became a full length motion picture extended past the capabilities of its premise.