Happy Tears 2009

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: Happy Tears settles for the usual moments, even at its quirkiest. Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: Happy Tears is a complete mess of a movie, but Lichtenstein conjures some sweet moments and striking metaphors -- and none more striking than Posey's $500 boots, which look either black or blue, given the available light. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: Lichtenstein dutifully unpacks the family's unhappy past, but he's so easily distracted by surreal dream sequences and colorful supporting characters that his main story gradually dries up into a sitcom. Read more

Amy Nicholson, I.E. Weekly: Hollywood's strong female actors have in Lichtenstein a young talent who gives them the roles they deserve. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: A cringe-inducing, self-consciously kooky indie comedy that's best enjoyed for its taste of Rip Torn, who, judging by his recent alleged bank break-in, comes to loose-cannon stuff naturally. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: Moore steals Happy Tears by underplaying -- in what may be the warmest performance of her career. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: A vulgar, happy-as-cancer aberration that takes the dysfunctional family idea to a new low. Whimsical, yes. Happy, never. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: In the role of a dialed-down, capable woman, Demi Moore suggests dramatic possibilities for future roles. She projects a kind of calm, and it's attractive. Read more

Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle: In this year's crop of Oscar-nominated shorts, the animated category beats the live-action offerings. Read more

David Fear, Time Out: Not even the reliable Posey can salvage this slag heap, and fans of the iconic Indiewood starlet -- Poseyphiles? Parkerheads? -- will be especially crestfallen. Read more

Leslie Felperin, Variety: Happy Tears is less of a mess than it looks like, despite its quirk-infested, baggy midsection. Read more

Melissa Anderson, Village Voice: Other than the guest-starring appearance of Cy Twombly canvases, nothing distinguishes this poor relation of The Savages from all the other emotionally fraudulent Amerindies about familial dysfunction and reconciliation. Read more