Another Happy Day

I can't believe i actually paid $ on Prime to watch this. I'm a huge fan of Lauren Lapkus and her comedy....but this was just depressing ! I saw the 7.4 rating and the preview and thought it may be good. I was wrong ! Maybe she took this part to try and show her "range" but she should really stick to comedic roles. This whole post-partum depression subject is real i know, but it doesn't need to be made into a movie. Even with the subject matter it wasn't a good movie. Like i said, it was just depressing. BIG swing and a miss Lauren. Not much else i can say but i'm required to type more characters, because evidently short reviews aren't okay ? Lol. Why ???

The worst aspect of new motherhood dramedy "Another Happy Day" is Lauren Lapkus' obnoxious lead character spending the entire film self-obsessively whining to everyone about how depressing life with a new baby is, and that no-one gets, appreciates or 'sees' her (including even the baby itself). Those having to put up with her utter tedium unsuccessfully try tempering her, including hubbie Jean Elie, ex-boss Carrie Coon (sadly in cameo only), and crotchety old aunt Marilyn Franks Dodds (who's as unpleasantly miserable as she is). Nora Fiffer's first movie as writer / director is hopefully her last as it's a total disservice to new mums AND an excrutiating watch. Awful.

The professional reviewers miss the mark when they focus entirely on motherhood. The script broaches fatherhood/relationships lightly - for which it can be forgiven, after all you can't include everything in an hour and a half movie or you lose focus. But those of us of a certain age remember not just postpartum issues (which weren't necessarily shared with our ob/gyn, for a variety of reasons - random timing of swings, inability to articulate, thinking we were "over it," competitive achievement habits), but we remember the next 20 years of life. And beyond the Mom character, some of us are cat ladies who still evaluate the choices we've made and measure ourselves. Being of a certain age, watching my children as parents juggling life and work, and identifying with the recently maligned old cat ladies, the movie was richer than the reviewers give it credit for.

Rarely does a film capture the essence of postpartum depression with both comical yet heartbreakingly accurate finesse. This movie masterfully illustrates the profound isolation felt during this challenging period. The protagonist's struggle to find someone who truly understands is poignantly real, echoed by the bewilderment and exasperation of those around her at her plight. In watching this, I found myself on an emotional roller coaster. I laughed, then I cried, and laughed until I cried once more. The journey through a new mother's lens was both therapeutic and validating. Much like her, I discovered that solace and camaraderie often come from the most unexpected places, providing a welcome respite from the relentless focus on new motherhood. Every aspect of this film, from the scripting to the casting in the acting, is executed with remarkable skill. It's a triumph in storytelling that resonates deeply, offering a raw yet humbling look at the human experience in the face of postpartum depression. This is not just a movie. It's an emotional lifeline.