A psychiatrist searches the globe to find the secret of happiness.A psychiatrist searches the globe to find the secret of happiness.A psychiatrist searches the globe to find the secret of happiness.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 6 nominations
- Pathetic Jane
- (as Tracy Ann Oberman)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Hector visits the Himalayas, the flags are Tibetan prayer flags, whose colors represent the five elements. Health and harmony can be produced with the balance of all the elements. It is the belief that the wind will carry the prayers and mantras to provide good will and compassion to the surrounding areas.
- GoofsHector uses computers and more specifically Skype several times to videochat with his girlfriend, yet none of the computers he uses seem to be equipped with the necessary camera or microphone that enables his girlfriend to see and hear him.
- Quotes
Hector: 1. Making comparisons can spoil your happiness.
Hector: 2. A lot of people think happiness means being richer or more important.
Hector: 3. Many people only see happiness in their future.
Hector: 4. Happiness could be the freedom to love more than one woman at the same time.
Hector: 5. Sometimes happiness is not knowing the whole story.
Hector: 6. Avoiding unhappiness is not the road to happiness.
Hector: 7. Does this person bring you predominantly a. up b. down?
Hector: 8. Happiness is answering your calling.
Hector: 9. Happiness is being loved for who you are.
Hector: 10. Sweet Potato Stew!
Hector: 11. Fear is an impediment to happiness.
Hector: 12. Happiness is feeling completely alive.
Hector: 13. Happiness is knowing how to celebrate.
Hector: 14. Listening is loving.
Hector: 15. Nostalgia is not what it used to be.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Projector: Hector and the Search for Happiness (2014)
- SoundtracksAbout As Helpful As You Can Be Without Being Any Help At All
Written by Dan Mangan & Kenton Loewen
Performed by Dan Mangan
Orchestral arrangements by Eyvind Kang
Published by Dan Mangan Music (SOCAN)
Courtesy of Arts & Crafts Productions
I suppose the title makes clear that this is a journey and that it has some pitfalls. I mean, there is no easy solution to the problem of finding happiness. Unless you find that you had it all along. Such is the potential here as Hector (the hilarious and versatile Simon Pegg) leaves his somewhat normal but semi-nice girlfriend in London to search the world for true happiness. Yeah, really.
So it's a fable, of course. No one does this quite so easily or with such lucky (and grossly unlikely) connections along the way. But the clichés of happiness, beginning with plain old rich decadence, and then Tibetan monks who have some sense of pure deep undecadent innocent joy. And then a whole series of alternative of people who have some part of happiness. Hector takes notes and keeps going, his girlfriend frustrated but materially distracted in their posh pad.
When things turn for the worse you know (since it's a fable) that it will not stay that way. New adventures arise.
But does he find happiness? Or is it, like Dorothy in Oz, a bit like you realize there is truly no place like home?
What makes this very fun, very unexpected romp worthwhile above all is the funny fun and sometimes very serious performance by Pegg. He's got a well known screen presence from the wacky comedies (like "Shawn of the Dead") and in a way he plays off of that here. But he also transcends it enough to make you believe there is more than meets the eye here. The whole movie is fun because he's fun to be with.
And will you learn a thing about what makes people happy? I hope not, because this is a stream of clichés without much or any insight. You can shout—hey, that's not the point— but it still leaves the movie a bit superficial.
It leaves it very fun, too, however, and all is quite well in the end. See it. It's quite cheerful.
- secondtake
- Jun 12, 2015
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Hành Trình Đến Hạnh Phúc
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,124,445
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $40,847
- Sep 21, 2014
- Gross worldwide
- $6,337,728
- Runtime1 hour 54 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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