My biggest problem with Happythankyoumoreplease is the script; it tries too hard to bring in too many elements and characters. At the center of the move is Sam (Radnor), who watches a young child get left behind on the subway. Though late for an important meeting, Sam tries to help the kid, Rasheen (Michael Algieri), but it is clear Rasheen doesn't want to leave Sam. After a couple of weak attempts to get the get the kid home, Sam lets him crash on his couch, basically kidnapping him.
If the plot stuck to the relationship between Sam and Rasheen, as well as a related romance subplot involving Mississippi (Kate Mara), Happythankyoumoreplease would be a better film. However, the movie takes numerous detours into the lives of Sam's friends. First is Annie (Malin Akerman), an attractive girl suffering from alopecia who is looking for a healthy relationship. The other involves Sam's cousin, Mary-Catherine (Zoe Kazan) and her boyfriend, Charlie (Pablo Schreiber), who are stuck between figuring out their relationship and moving to Los Angeles for Charlie's job.
Of the two additional plotlines, only Annie's makes any sense coupled with Sam's situation. It is unnecessary, though it at least serves some purpose in Sam's story (and provides the movie's title). Annie is Sam's best friend and flawed mentor. However, I didn't get the point to including Mary-Catherine and Charlie's relationship. There's an attempted payoff during a conversation between Sam and Charlie, but I didn't think it needed to be there. I like the interaction between Sam and Mississippi, so more of that would have been better. As far as I could tell, Mary-Catherine is around to expound on the wonders of New York.
Though my take sounds negative, Happythankyoumoreplease has potential. I didn't hate it; I just think the script needs work. There are a couple of huge logical leaps. These are expected, but some are too noticeable to cover up with dry wit and great cast performances. A handful of scenes really work, though it is more to the credit of the cast than anything else. I loved the first few minutes between Sam and Rasheen, especially the scenes where Sam learns Rasheen's name and Sam explains party etiquette to Rasheen.
For his first time in the director's chair, Radnor does a good job. He's able to build chemistry between cast members. Based on the performances, he knows how to work with actors. However, he also tends to fall into more common "Indie" shots, like dark bars and enclosed spaces. Happythankyoumoreplease probably isn't the type of movie you have to see in HD, though it doesn't hurt either.
Happythankyoumoreplease is light on extras. There's a selection of deleted scenes that, in my opinion, should have been included in the final cut of the film. They add a little more connectivity to the character's relationships. Sure, some of the "quirk" would be gone, but like Mary-Catherine and Charlie's plotline, the quirk could go and not be missed.
Josh Radnor (and Jesse Hara) provide commentary. It's always great to hear from first-time filmmakers and Radnor offers some neat insight into the film. It didn't sway my opinion, though I enjoyed listening to his thoughts.
Also included is a featurette on JayMay, who provides songs for the film's soundtrack. It's interesting, though I don't think it was really meant for me. I like music, but couldn't get into the movie's soundtrack. Still, JayMay's story has some cool points to it.
Finally, there's a set of trailers, including one for Happythankyoumoreplease.
For a freshman outing, Happythankyoumoreplease is an okay film. It isn't terrible and shows a lot of potential, especially after watching the deleted scenes. Happythankyoumoreplease is worth a watch if you're into films like Garden State and don't mine a few first time bumps, though it is best left as a rental.
