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IMDbPro

Happy Tears

  • 2009
  • R
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
Happy Tears (2009)
Jayne and Laura are about to take on the first man they just might not be able to handle: their seventy-something-year-old father Joe. Dutiful daughters returning to the house they grew up in, Jayne and Laura are forced to take a closer look at their own not-so-perfect lives while dodging childhood memories. Laura suspects that Joe needs full-time care, but Jayne hopes that their father's condition isn't that serious. Joe is still singing and playing his old guitar, and the lively widower even has a new "ladyfriend," shameless and sassy Shelly. But as the visible moments of their father's impending senility increase, so do the dysfunctional family dynamics. Tensions flare as the close sisters must also juggle their own very different lives - Laura's busy schedule as an environmentalist and mother of two small children, and Jayne, desperate to finally have a baby with her workaholic art-dealing husband Jackson. Their adventures back home are not without magic, mischief and mayhem, and even a search for buried treasure in the backyard! Any tears that Jayne and Laura might shed will be happy ones.
Play trailer2:18
9 Videos
75 Photos
ComedyDrama

Two sisters return home to deal with their ailing father, only to face some surprising situations.Two sisters return home to deal with their ailing father, only to face some surprising situations.Two sisters return home to deal with their ailing father, only to face some surprising situations.

  • Director
    • Mitchell Lichtenstein
  • Writer
    • Mitchell Lichtenstein
  • Stars
    • Parker Posey
    • Demi Moore
    • Rip Torn
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.2/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mitchell Lichtenstein
    • Writer
      • Mitchell Lichtenstein
    • Stars
      • Parker Posey
      • Demi Moore
      • Rip Torn
    • 10User reviews
    • 34Critic reviews
    • 35Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos9

    Happy Tears
    Trailer 2:18
    Watch Happy Tears
    Happy Tears: Scene 3
    Clip 1:38
    Watch Happy Tears: Scene 3
    Happy Tears: Scene 7
    Clip 1:14
    Watch Happy Tears: Scene 7
    Happy Tears: Scene 2
    Clip 0:38
    Watch Happy Tears: Scene 2
    Happy Tears: Scene 5
    Clip 1:27
    Watch Happy Tears: Scene 5
    Happy Tears: Scene 6
    Clip 1:08
    Watch Happy Tears: Scene 6
    Happy Tears: Scene 8
    Clip 0:31
    Watch Happy Tears: Scene 8
    Happy Tears: Scene 4
    Clip 1:02
    Watch Happy Tears: Scene 4
    Happy Tears: Scene 1
    Clip 1:20
    Watch Happy Tears: Scene 1

    Photos75

    Parker Posey in Happy Tears (2009)
    Demi Moore in Happy Tears (2009)
    Rip Torn in Happy Tears (2009)
    Demi Moore and Parker Posey in Happy Tears (2009)
    Parker Posey and Christian Camargo in Happy Tears (2009)
    Demi Moore, Parker Posey, and Ellen Barkin in Happy Tears (2009)
    Parker Posey and Dina Gardner in Happy Tears (2009)
    Demi Moore, Parker Posey, Ellen Barkin, and Rip Torn in Happy Tears (2009)
    Rip Torn in Happy Tears (2009)
    Demi Moore, Parker Posey, and Rip Torn in Happy Tears (2009)
    Demi Moore and Parker Posey in Happy Tears (2009)
    Mitchell Lichtenstein in Happy Tears (2009)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Parker Posey
    Parker Posey
    • Jayne
    Demi Moore
    Demi Moore
    • Laura
    Rip Torn
    Rip Torn
    • Joe
    Ellen Barkin
    Ellen Barkin
    • Shelly
    Peter Patrikios
    • Driver
    • (as Pete Patrikios)
    T. Ryder Smith
    T. Ryder Smith
    • Shoe Salesman
    Christian Camargo
    Christian Camargo
    • Jackson
    Victor Slezak
    Victor Slezak
    • Eli Bell
    Melissa Ticen
    • Stewardess
    Julianna Conforti
    • Young Jayne
    Jacquelyn Conforti
    • Young Jayne
    Alyssa Klein
    • Young Laura
    David L. King
    David L. King
    • Dr. Sims
    • (as David King)
    Aldous Davidson
    Aldous Davidson
    • Waiter
    Richard Barlow
    Richard Barlow
    • Mitch
    • (as Rich Barlow)
    Billy Magnussen
    Billy Magnussen
    • Ray
    Susan Blommaert
    Susan Blommaert
    • Mallory
    Anderson Folsom
    Anderson Folsom
    • Young Ray
    • (as Anderson Golsom)
    • Director
      • Mitchell Lichtenstein
    • Writer
      • Mitchell Lichtenstein
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Film debut of Billy Magnuessen.
    • Goofs
      The plane landing in Pittsburgh is clearly not in Pittsburgh. In the landing scene there is a large body of water and a ship visible. There's no body of water within sight of PIT.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Shutter Island/The Ghost Writer/Happy Tears (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      I'm A King Bee
      Written by Slim Harpo

      Performed by Slim Harpo

      Published by Embassy Music Corporation (BMI)

      Courtesy of Hip-O Records

      Under License from Universal Music Enterprises

    User reviews10

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    4/10
    There are better family dramas than "Happy Tears"
    "Happy Tears" is an independent, fairly simple, dysfunctional family drama. Two grown sisters move back home to take care of their ailing father. The sisters of course have their own problems on top of dealing with their father who is in denial of his situation and very much trying to live as the patriarch of dysfunctionality.

    Many movies have told this type of story, and these filmmakers attempted to make their mark and do something better or at least different. But I was turned off by it. They were going for a dream-like feel with dream-like colours and imagery and of course actual dreams mixed in. I found it all very weird and made it hard for me to get into the film.

    The title relates to the laughs and tears that occur. The problem is there are no laughs, and although the characters were well written I wasn't drawn into them so I didn't feel what they were feeling - just uncomfortable.

    I appreciated the actors they cast, and the effort that they made to make this film new and good, but I have to recommend "The Savages" (2007) over this.
    helpful•8
    2
    • napierslogs
    • Jun 16, 2010

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 16, 2009 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Mutluluk Gözyaşları
    • Filming locations
      • Prospect Park, Pennsylvania, USA
    • Production companies
      • Pierpoline Films
      • Susceptible
      • Talent Beach Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $22,464
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $13,009
      • Feb 21, 2010
    • Gross worldwide
      • $22,464
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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