Happiness (1998)
Happiness (1998) is a dark comedy-drama film written and directed by Todd Solondz. The film follows the lives of three sisters and their families, exploring themes of loneliness, depression, and sexual desire.
The film contains several scenes of sexual content, which are often used to explore the characters’ innermost desires and emotions. One of the most memorable scenes is when Joy (Jane Adams) and Allen (Philip Seymour Hoffman) have a conversation about their sexual fantasies. Allen reveals that he fantasizes about having sex with a woman in a wheelchair, while Joy admits that she fantasizes about having sex with a man in a wheelchair. This scene is used to explore the characters’ feelings of loneliness and isolation, as well as their need for physical and emotional intimacy.
Another memorable scene is when Bill (Dylan Baker) visits his neighbor’s house and is propositioned by her daughter, who is only twelve years old. This scene is used to explore the themes of pedophilia and sexual abuse, as well as the power dynamics between adults and children.
The film also contains several scenes of nudity, which are used to explore the characters’ feelings of vulnerability and insecurity. One of the most memorable scenes is when Joy’s husband, Andy (Jon Lovitz), is seen in the shower, completely naked. This scene is used to explore Andy’s feelings of insecurity and his need for acceptance.
Overall, Happiness (1998) contains several scenes of sexual content, which are used to explore the characters’ innermost desires and emotions. The film is a powerful exploration of loneliness, depression, and sexual desire, and is sure to leave viewers with a lot to think about.
The film is laced with extremely sexually explicit dialogue about sexual fantasies, masturbation, rape and paedophilia. Some of this dialogue is between a father and son. However, actual sex and nudity is kept brief or just implied.
A brief sex scene occurs between a man and a woman; her breasts are shown, and his buttocks.
Two characters masturbate (not explicitly seen) and then their ejaculate is shown on another surface after they have finished. One of the masturbaters is sexually harassing a woman on the phone while he masturbates.
Two silhouetted figures are briefly shown having sex.
A man explicitly describes a sexual fantasy with extreme candour.
Two clothed people have sex on a couch; the man is shown putting his hand into the woman's shirt and groping her breast.
A man masturbates to pictures of young boys in the back seat of a car.
A young boy asks his father what "cum" means. His father tells him in a very straight forward answer. The boy says that everyone in his class has cum, but he hasn't. The son and father discuss this several times during the movie, including his dad asking if he's "practiced".
A father and son frankly and openly discuss penis size.
A boy is standing on an outside balcony with the family dog, masturbating while watching a woman sunbathe. After a few seconds he ejaculates, and the family dog then happily licks up the semen from the railing and floor below, then walks in to the apartment and licks the mouth and face of the boy's mother.
A father admits to his son that he would masturbate to avoid having sex with him.
It's implied that a man rapes two of his son's friends. He later admits this to his son.