H Is For Happiness is a small-scale film that finds the child-like in the grown-up (and vice versa) to enjoyable ends. Based on the YA novel by Barry Jonsberg, Australian theatre director John Sheedy’s debut is in the ballpark of Wes Anderson and Taika Waititi’s childhood tales (although isn’t as sharp as either), exploring ideas of grief, friendship and what it means to be an outsider through brightly hued, stylised filmmaking that seemingly takes its inspiration from an explosion in a sweet shop. It’s a likeable confection that, while clearly from a child’s perspective, doesn’t skimp on the complex emotions and messy realities of adult problems and wins out on strong performances from its young leads and a generous, optimistic spirit.
Sheedy’s filmmaking is controlled, filled with Wes Anderson-y tics like symmetrical compositions and overhead shots of food.
The story centres on superbright 12-year-old Candice Phee (Daisy Axon), the kind of swot who is always the first to raise her hand (to the boredom of the class), arranges her coloured pens purposefully and cites the dictionary as her favourite book. The latest homework assignment, set by Miss Bamford (a fun Miriam Margolyes), is for pupils to explore their lives through the letters of the alphabet and Candice takes it as a jumping-off point for making her parents — still grieving over the death of a baby daughter — happy. Mum (Emma Booth), once a force of nature, is mostly bed-ridden, and Dad (Richard Roxburgh) is struggling with a despondent wife, financial difficulties and a long-running feud with younger brother Rich Uncle Brian (Joel Jackson) — Candice often describes people by full names and defining characteristics — over a business venture.
She finds solace in a winning friendship with weird new kid Douglas Benson From Another Dimension (Wesley Patten) — he believes he is working his way through multiverses but actually fell out of a tree and hit his head — an equally bright student with a yen for engineering. Somehow, he inspires Candice to try and raise her family’s spirits, leading to a rousing finale involving a lip-synched version of Dolly Parton-Kenny Rogers ‘Islands In The Stream’ and poo gags.
If the twin terrors of quirk and whimsy are high on the agenda, Sheedy’s filmmaking is controlled, filled with Wes Anderson-y tics like symmetrical compositions and overhead shots of food. The film’s highly saturated, primary-colour palette pops in the school and town sections and acts as counter-point to the dark, shadowy murk of Candice’s home and a magical forest that becomes Candice and Douglas Benson From Another Dimension’s refuge. Yet the film’s strongest suits are its central performances; Wesley Patten makes for an engaging if deluded geek, while Daisy Axon treads a neat line in being perky without ever straying into annoying. She’s T for terrific.