Happythankyoumoreplease. It’s a film you may not have heard of, but a film you should still see nonetheless. Despite the strange and annoying title (which is explained in the film), it’s actually quite a good movie. It has some quirky characters, genuine situations and it’s truly charming. The film reminds me a lot of 500 Days of Summer, another movie I enjoyed. Written by, directed by and starring How I Met Your Mother’s Josh Radnor, Happythankyoumoreplease is a refreshing, uplifting and immensely enjoyable film that features some great performances.
Boasting a relatable and accessible script, Happythankyoumoreplease tells the story of  Sam (Josh Radnor), a writer in New York who is having trouble trying to sell his first manuscript. One day while riding the subway, he sees a young boy get separated from his mother. Being the good person he is, Sam goes to help the kid. When he offers to take him to the police station to find his mom, the boy explains that he is in foster care and he doesn’t want to go back. Feeling bad, Sam decides to take the kid home and care for him, until he can find another place for the boy to go. Eventually the two grow close and neither want to leave each other’s side.
Then there’s Annie (Malin Akerman), Sam’s best friend, who is struggling with a rare form of cancer. She carries a heavy amount of emotional baggage and she also has to deal with a co-worker (Arrested Development’s Tony Hale) who is madly in love with her. The next piece of the puzzle comes in the form of the gorgeous Kate Mara who plays Mississippi, a struggling singer who meets Sam and agrees to partake in his experiment which involves having a ‘three night stand’. Lastly, we have Mary Catherine (Zoe Kazan) and her boyfriend Charlie (Pablo Schreiber), they’re having their own problems that arise from Mary Catherine’s potential pregnancy and Charlie getting a job offer in LA.
Continue reading our Happythankyoumoreplease theatrical review.
Happythankyoumoreplease arrives on Blu-Ray from Anchor Bay and overall, we get a decent transfer. Some soft detail pops up more often than it should and while contrast is strong, it’s not always perfect. Colours carry a nice level of vibrancy and there really isn’t much in the way of unwanted noise. Fleshtones are strong throughout and although black leves are sometimes not as strong as they should be, the transfer isn’t one to look down at. It’s not fantastic, but it’s solid and good enough for the type of film this is.
The audio is also fairly strong. Dialogue is the star here and it all comes through crisp and clean. The indie soundtrack sounds wonderful and a couple ambiance noises come in perfectly. Don’t expect much from the track seeing as it’s mainly just talk but what’s here is acceptable.
Special features are where the disc really disappoints. What we get is the following:
- Audio Commentary with Producer/Writer/Director/Actor Josh Radnor and Producer Jesse Hara
- Happythankyoumoremusicplease – Featuring Jaymay
- Deleted Scenes
- Trailer
It’s a pretty weak offering and really the only thing worth checking out is the commentary. Radnor and Hara discuss the casting process, choices for music and locations, scenes that didn’t get into the final cut, and more. The two vibe off each other pretty well and it makes for an enjoyable and informative listen. The next special feature, featuring Jaymay, is a very quick look at the film’s music. Jaymay did most of the music in the film and if you enjoyed what you heard, you may want to check this one out.
Happythankyoumoreplease is a very respectable directorial debut from Josh Radnor. He shows great promise as a director and although he suffers from a few rookie mistakes, this is not a bad outing at all. The disc itself leaves a bit to be desired in all areas but if you enjoyed the film, I’d still recommend a purchase. It’s an easy movie to watch again and one that I’m happy to have in my collection.
