I shudder to think I rented this movie years and years ago when it first came out on video a couple years before I had the chance to see the film 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (one of my all time romantic comedy faves!) for the first time. At that time (in my 20 year-old naivete) I summed up 'Happy Together' as cute and entertaining... not altogether a total waste of my time. Now, years later, having just caught it on late night cable for the second time ever, and AFTER experiencing 'Breakfast at Tiffany's,' I now realize how much of a blatant plot rip-off of that movie THIS movie is!
Helen Slater's 'Alex' is sooooo the reincarnate of Audrey Hepburn's 'Holly Golightly,' but done in such an painfully cute-sy and over-acted way. Patrick Dempsey's 'Chris' is a far less sexy and less witty 'Paul Varjak.' Instead of the New York City setting, it's a college campus in L.A. (but throughout the film, the characters do allude to a desire to live in N.Y.C.). Instead of apartment building neighbors, they're dorm roommates. Alex is also an aspiring actress (like Holly) and Chris is even a writer (like Paul!). You also see Alex going out with all these unsuitable suitors while Chris pines for her just like in 'Tiffany's.' Alex even exclaims a couple times in the film, "You don't know ME!" which so resembles the tone of Holly's stubborn desire of "not wanting to be put in a cage," as Paul points out to her towards the end of the film. The female protagonists of both films are these "free spirits" who are actually terrified of leaving their "fishbowls" of existence.
How important is this realization of similarities between these two films? Not very. But it least makes ME realize yet again (disgustedly) that way too many basic plot lines are recycled in Hollywood. That's all!
So if you're in the mood for pure derivative fluff, 'Happy Together" is for you. Plus, Helen Slater's late 80's wardrobe is sure a hoot to behold...
