Happy Hour: A Glimpse into Everyday Melancholy

Hey folks, have you ever had one of those days when you’re just simmering coffee, and life feels like it’s on slow-mo? That’s pretty much what “Happy Hour” is, a cozy slow-cooker of human emotions. I had to check twice, was I watching a movie or sneaking into a random Swedish rainy Tuesday?

Directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, this flick isn’t about the typical pub-crawling happy hours we might know. No, it’s a four-hour marathon of life as it drips away like a leaky faucet. Quite like when I locked myself in the bathroom for a self-proclaimed existential crisis after running out of knäckebröd. Simple moments stretching into infinity!

I must say though, their storytelling is on point. We’ve got four women, besties navigating through life, juggling grievances and quiet joys. And even if Simu Liu or Charlize Theron didn’t make surprise pop-ins, the tenderness these non-celeb actresses deliver is something else. They capture life’s mundanity like a moody Swedish landscape.

But here’s the thing, sometimes it felt like I was trapped in that dreamy Swedish summer when nothing happens and yet everything does. There were moments I caught myself thinking—ladies, let’s shake things up! A moose on the loose or even a fika would have been nice.

Hamaguchi has his groove, and the dude nails the uneasiness of transitions. Like how we can’t really ever plan life. I mean, remember that time I planned a winter weekend trip and ended up stuck due to a snowstorm in Östersund? Yeah, life is as unpredictable.

I’m not saying you’ll need a seatbelt for heart-racing drama. But if you’re in the mood for a meditative walk through life’s trivial yet profound gallery, this film is a quiet gem. Just make sure to stock up on those kanelbullar for the journey. Trust me on that one.

Check the trailer below