The Happy Poet

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  • Opened March 22, 2013 (Laemmle Monica 4-Plex)
  • 1 hr 25 min
  • NR

  • THE HAPPY POET is an all-organic, mostly vegetarian comedy about Bill, a struggling poet who pours his heart, soul, and last few dollars into starting a healthy food stand, surprising friends and customers with his dry wit and offbeat passion. Motivated by help from a rag-tag group of supporters and a budding romance with a poetry-loving customer, Bill strives to make a difference in the world, until surprising complications jeopardize his new friendships and threaten Bill’s dreams for a hot dog-free future. THE HAPPY POET cleverly re-works the classic American film story of the underdog struggling against the system, adding a dose of deadpan humor and a fresh take on a young generation’s interest in the intersection of a social conscience and the food we eat. Full synopsis

  • Cast: Paul Gordon, Jonny Mars, Chris Doubek, Liz Fisher, Amy Meyers-Martin
  • Director: Paul Gordon
  • Genres: Comedy, Drama

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Critic Reviews

70
Village Voice
| Michelle Orange

Off-handed and yet quite artfully observed, The Happy Poet's winsome deadpan offsets its skewering of class and sustainability issues, right through to a tricky ending that, like Bill himself, may not be what it seems. Read full review

50
Slant Magazine
| Jesse Cataldo

Like its sad-sack main character, whose closed-off personality makes him hard to fully understand or sympathize with, The Happy Poet is too reservedly rough around the edges. Read full review

50
The New York Times
| Mike Hale

The consistent comic tone of those earlier scenes - a gentle squirm - makes The Happy Poet a promising debut. Read full review

40
Variety
| Ronnie Scheib

Both subscribes to and somewhat departs from the bare-bones improvisational formula established by the mumblecore movement, sometimes sacrificing ambiguity for the sake of broader, telegraphed, one-note laughs. Read full review

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