I consider myself to be a somewhat jaded, overly cynical filmgoer, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not always on the lookout for a film that might come close to expressing the ebullience and joy of life. While I’ve yet to see the film – and will have to wait a little longer to do so – I have to say that watching the latest preview for Hector and the Search for Happiness marked the first time I’ve actually laughed at a trailer in awhile.
Hector and the Search for Happiness features Simon Pegg as the titular Hector, a London psychiatrist who one day realize that his patients are just not getting happier. This prompts him to go on a journey across the world in pursuit of discovering what makes people happy. I think we can predict some moments of self-discovery for Hector, and perhaps some heartache too, as he leaves his girlfriend (Rosamund Pike) at home to strike out on his own.
This latest trailer has a decided The Secret Life of Walter Mitty vibe to it, but that in itself isn’t a bad thing. Pegg is always an enjoyable actor to watch, and often plays men who might be eccentric or larger than life but are simultaneously “everyman” enough to make us identify with them. There were at least two lines that made me smile, and one that made me laugh out loud, so that bodes well for the full film.
Hector and the Search for Happiness is based on the book by Francois Lelord. The adaptation is directed by Peter Chelsom, known for such light fare as Serendipity. Alongside Pegg and Pike are Christopher Plummer, Toni Collette, and Jean Reno, so the cast is pretty strong as well. This all seems to make a good argument for the film as an enjoyable if light piece of entertainment.
Hector and the Search for Happiness will open in the UK on August 15 and in the US on September 19. You can check out the latest trailer below.
