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Cinema has always been adept at conveying truths that we can’t quite articulate in everyday life. Our feelings tend to be less baffling when contextualized by our surrounding reality, which is quite often taken for granted. It’s not uncommon in Georgian society for generations of family members to live together in the same space, inhabiting their roles as parents and children long after they have outgrown them. Whereas women have to prove themselves on a daily basis, men can get away with practically anything, save for physical abuse or excessive drinking. It is the woman’s duty, above all, to maintain the happiness of her family through her peaceful and self-sacrificing nature. No wonder Manana ( Ia Shugliashvili ), the 52-year-old heroine of Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross’ “My Happy Family,” cannot wait to escape.

Even before the film’s initial fade-in, Manana has been silently entertaining the notion of moving away. The first scene follows her on a tour of the apartment where she will eventually move alone, much to the utter bewilderment of her family. Time and again, Manana is asked whether she had been struck by her husband, Soso ( Merab Ninidze ). Surely she must’ve been hurt in order for such drastic measures to be taken. “I won’t explain it to anyone,” insists Manana, while assuring them that she was not a victim of violence. Perhaps she truly believes this to be the case, since the abuse she has suffered has been of a much more insidious variety. 

Though her disapproving loved ones insist that their actions are made out of love, they stem from a deep-seated need for control. Manana is expected to suppress her own needs even while she’s being celebrated on her birthday. So determined is Soso to keep up the strained image of his family’s contentment that he invites numerous guests to her birthday party, despite the fact that his wife had explicitly asked for a quiet evening at home. As soon as crowds stream through the door, Manana snaps on the cheery façade of a dutiful host until they are no longer in view, allowing her face to collapse in exhaustion. 

This endless night turns out to be the final straw, though it’s not until she returns to her day job as a teacher that she acquires the bravery to act on her desires. When she asks a 17-year-old student, Tatia (Lika Babluani), why she has missed so many classes, the young woman informs her that she was divorcing her husband. It wasn’t a result of abuse—they simply wanted different things—but Tatia cautions Manana that as soon as she makes up her mind about what she wants in life, she must commit to that decision. Otherwise, she will forever remain a prisoner. It’s a sublime instance of a student offering her teacher a much-needed lesson that never feels patronizing, and that is in part due to the inspired casting of Babluani. 

She made her astonishing screen debut in Ekvtimishvili and Gross’ first co-directorial effort, 2013’s “In Bloom,” a film that serves as a fitting companion piece to “My Happy Mother.” Set in 1992, a year after Georgia received its independence from the Soviet Union, “In Bloom” centered on Eka (Babluani), a teenager distressed by the man aggressively pursuing her close friend, Natia (Marian Bokeria). After he and his pals grab Natia against her will and drive off with her in a car, Eka hurls expletives at a crowd of indifferent witnesses until an old man socks her in the face. This leads to one of the most exhilarating sequences I’ve ever seen, in which Eka—her face freshly bruised and her movement loosened by alcohol—performs a mesmerizing dance at Natia’s wedding, affirming that she will remain a force of strength in her friend’s life regardless of her concerns. 

“In Bloom” quickly grew to become one of my all-time favorite films, and “My Happy Family” is every bit as enthralling and masterful an achievement. Both pictures were lensed by a cinematographer who previously worked with Romanian auteur Cristian Mungiu on his similarly claustrophobic portraits of oppressive societal strictures. Like Mungiu, Ekvtimishvili and Gross favor staging scenes in meticulously choreographed extended takes that fully immerse us in the character’s oft-cramped surroundings. Whereas DP Oleg Mutu (“ 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days ”) infused “In Bloom” with a sense of impending menace, Tudor Vladimir Panduru (“ Graduation ”) accentuates the poignance of various moments in “My Happy Family” with his equally accomplished cinematography. 

Consider the scene where Manana enters a family’s apartment, posing as a gas meter reader. The shot begins over her shoulder as her eyes lock with the boy who answers the door, but only gradually do we realize the child’s identity. By the scene’s end, the framing has flipped, causing us to peer over the boy’s shoulder at Manana, whose carefully modulated expression now speaks volumes. Nearly every scene is anchored by Shugliashvili’s face, which unceasingly fills in the blanks intentionally left by Ekvtimishvili’s deftly nuanced dialogue. After a wrenching revelation is casually thrust upon Manana at a class reunion, the camera slowly pulls in toward Shugliashvili, as the implications of this newfound knowledge swiftly deflate her lighthearted demeanor. When she reluctantly complies to her friends’ request that she serenade them, Manana’s pent-up grief spills forth in the guise of melodic poetry, bringing down the house not unlike Eka’s dance.

One of the universal truths explored by “In Bloom” and “My Happy Family” is the extent to which an all-too tight-knit family can stunt one’s own personal growth. When Manana is finally freed from her inattentive husband, grown children and judgmental parents, the calming emptiness of her new apartment is intoxicating. After moving tirelessly through the confines of Manana’s familial entrapment, the camera is able to linger for several glorious beats on the heroine sitting next to her balcony, eating a slice of cake as Mozart’s infamous piano sonata accompanies the serene gusts of wind billowing through a nearby tree. Yet even this oasis isn’t entirely unhindered by patriarchal oversight, thanks to Manana’s brother, who paid a couple of local thugs to guard his sister from afar—not to keep her safe, but to keep her in line. 

Many of the year’s best films feature female protagonists who are resolved to live on their own terms, and “My Happy Family” ranks right alongside them. It deserves to not get lost in the awards season hysteria, and when viewers stream it on Netflix, I recommend that they couple it with “In Bloom,” which is available for rental on DVD. Together, they form one of the finest double bills in recent memory.

Matt Fagerholm

Matt Fagerholm is the former Literary Editor at RogerEbert.com and is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association. 

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Film credits.

My Happy Family (2017)

119 minutes

Ia Shugliashvili as Manana

Merab Ninidze as Soso

Berta Khapava as Lamara

Tsisia Qumsashvili as Nino

Giorgi Khurtsilava as Vakho

Giorgi Tabidze as Lasha

Goven Cheishvili as Otar

Dimitri Oragvelidze as Rezo

• Nana Ekvtimishvili

Cinematographer

• Tudor Vladimir Panduru
• Stefan Stabenow

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Happy Family Review: Good Old Sarabhai vs Sarabhai And Khichdi Days Return But Conditions Apply

Written By : Dishya Sharma

Last Updated: March 10, 2023, 10:36 IST

Mumbai, India

Happy Family -- Conditions Apply U

• 10 March 2023 | Hindi
• 10 Episodes | Family comedy
• Starring: Ratna Pathak Shah, Raj Babbar, Atul Kulkarni, Ayesha Jhulka, Raunaq Kamdar and Meenal Sahu
• Director: Aatish Kapadia, Jamnadas Majethia
• Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Happy Family- Conditions Apply review: Ratna Pathak Shah and gang lead the return of the wholesome entertainment era.

This week has truly been all about bringing back the good vibes on screen. At first, Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor bring back romcoms to the big screen with Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar and now, the renowned comedy shows creator Aatish Kapadia along with actor-writer Jamnadas Majethia (JD) announce the return of wholesome comedy on the small screen with Happy Family – Conditions Apply. Having been a fan of shows such as Khichdi and Sarabhai vs Sarabhai (both created by Aatish Kapadia), I had reasonably high expectations from the Amazon Prime Video series. I am happy to report that it almost fulfills my needs.

Appearing as a much-needed respite from serious, intense series, Happy Family – Conditions Apply brings a family of four generations — Raj Babbar and Ratna Pathak Shah heading the family, Atul Kulkarni and Ayesha Jhulka playing their son and daughter-in-law and Raunaq Kamdar, Meenal Sahu and Sanah Kapur doubling up as their children. The youngest couple also has a son. Spread across 10 episodes, Happy Family puts an upper-middle-class Gujarati family’s lives in focus, all while being relative.

From subjects such as dealing with the son’s decision to break away to form a nuclear family to doubting your loyal servant when there is a robbery and a taunting mother-in-law, the situations penned by Aatish and JD are everything you’d expect to happen at home. While the writers and makers don’t see the situations through the lens of course correction, they do preach when necessary, following the age-old formula of using smartly written situations and quirky characters to convey the message.

As simple as drinking alcohol from a steel glass, Hemlata (Ratna Pathak Shah) conveys that she is as modern as she could get but to ensure that she doesn’t cause inconvenience and discomfort with her actions, she chooses to drink from a steel glass. An example of a smartly written scene.

What works the best for the show is the simple yet smartly written scenes and dialogues. Creator Aatish Kapadia mentioned in News18 Showsha’s interview that he and JD incorporated scenes and lines that they came across during weddings in their community and general gathering. It is this adaptation that shows the makers are not trying hard to be funny and are resorting to vanilla humour that will crack you up in every alternative scene, something that the OTT space has been missing for a while now.

What also works brilliantly for the show are the actors, especially the veterans. Ratna Pathak Shah is undoubtedly the star of the series, playing the eccentric Hemlata who seems like a perfect amalgamation of Jayshree, Hansa (played by Vandana Pathak and Supriya Pathak respectively in Khichdi), and Monisha (played by Rupali Ganguly in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai). Ratna’s unconventional character holds the series together. It is refreshing to see a mellow Raj Babbar return to the screen. He smoothly complements a loud Ratna with his sober performance.

Meanwhile, watching Atul and Ayesha in elements outside their traditional genres comes as a surprise. Atul’s character Ramesh Dholakia’s obsession with offering medicines to any Tom, Dick, and Harry just because he’s a pharmacist is something you never usually see Atul do and he unintentionally leaves you in splits. Ayesha lights up our screen as she did back in the 90s with her breezy performance.

The ladies of the younger generation do hold a strong ground in front of the veterans, especially Meenal and Sanah. I personally loved that they are given enough screen time to perform, giving audiences enough space to invest in their characters.

Now, for the conditions applied — the show might be all things nostalgia but it doesn’t go beyond that. Aatish and JD play it safe, resisting a few formulas to tickle the funny bone but the first four episodes haven’t given enough to take away a hook line, something like a ‘Hansaaa’ from Khichdi or ‘Meri Momma’ from Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. One needs to give the series a little more time to grow on you.

Bottom line: In a world of binge-watching, Happy Family — Conditions Apply tries to bring back a weekly dose of entertainment and seems to work in its favour. If you are looking for all things nostalgic, I’d suggest investing your time in Happy Family — Conditions Apply.

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Movie Review: My Happy Family (2017)

• Madison Miller
• Movie Reviews
• No responses
• --> February 22, 2018

Following the release of “ Lady Bird ,” Anne Helen Petersen wrote a moving essay on the supporting roles of mothers in relation to their daughters’ central stories entitled “Moms Are Main Characters Too.” Petersen writes, “But something you learn after high school is that, without the momentousness of ‘firsts’ . . . and societally ordained milestones . . ., growth occurs in much smaller, much more incremental and counter-intuitive ways. And most of these moments are invisible to everyone save your deepest self.” While drawing a comparison between Greta Gerwig’s Sacramento-set, semi-autobiographical masterpiece (one of my favorites of the year) may seem strange, I couldn’t help being reminded of that bond (and cinema’s uncanny knack for drawing curious connections) as I encountered the Georgian film My Happy Family .

Manana (Ia Shugliashvili, “Sleeping Lessons”) — the motherly main character of this story — is a wife and mother of two, although not the matriarch of her happy family. That role belongs to her own mother, who is the head of the household occupied by Manana’s entire family, including mother, father, husband Soso (Merab Ninidze, “ Bridge of Spies ”), son, daughter, and son-in-law. The house is cramped and crowded. There is a large wardrobe in the bedroom in which everyone keeps their clothes — however inconvenient for that night’s sleeping guests — because it is too heavy to move. For the past 50 or so years, Manana has found herself in a similar position — too weighed down to move from her family home. My Happy Family represents her coming-of-age tale during an age so often overlooked by and invisible to those in the orbit of her world.

Directors Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß with cinematographer Tudor Vladimir Panduru strike this balance in the way Manana is filmed. Manana’s invisibility to her family is captured in the empty seat at the dinner table during a noisy affair where everyone begins eating without her despite claims that they were waiting for her. Her presence is more often than not a nuisance to her daughter (noisily rifling through the shared wardrobe in early morning hours) and mother (not knowing the difference between herbs when shopping). When not being misunderstood or criticized by her family, Manana goes unseen and unnoticed by those around her, but Panduru’s camera always finds her. She is central and focused in frame, sometimes to the detriment of her background surroundings and supporting characters, who are shot half out of frame or removed entirely. After a life lived on the margins, Manana is a main character now, too.

In her professional life, Manana stands front and center as she lectures her class on The Martyrdom of the Holy Queen Shushanik — the earliest surviving extant piece of Georgian literature. The manuscript describes the martyrdom of Saint Shushanik, an Armenian noblewoman, at the hand of her spouse, high prince Varsken. She was killed by him after refusing to submit to his order to abandon her Christian faith. Whether the text can be read as a simple family drama or goes beyond those restrictive bounds since the main conflict is religiously motivated is a question up for discussion in her classroom. Beyond that, Manana’s conflicts seem to qualify as family drama, though, of course, there is nothing simple about it.

Just as Manana idles between the roles of mother and daughter, she also awkwardly straddles the line between teacher and student. This dichotomy is observed in her interactions with two young women who also happen to be struggling with marital discontent. Conversations about life and love carried out with her young, female student and her slightly older daughter are clouded by Manana’s judgment and misjudgments. On the one hand, she aims to protect her daughter by the projecting of her own experience. On the other, she sees herself in the resolute student who unwittingly serves as an impetus for Manana’s own life change. It is through these cross-generational exchanges that Tolstoy’s familiar familial analogy at long last gains credence. Every unhappy family really is unhappy in its own way.

Embarking on her journey of sense of self rediscovery, Manana begins experiencing these so-called milestones, these smaller incremental signs of growth. She moves out of the shared apartment into one of her own. She learns guitar and how to cook. She reconnects with old friends and schoolmates. She transfers tomato seedlings to individual pots. They, as well as she, flourish on their own. In perhaps my favorite scene, the warm Georgian wind rustles the trees outside Manana’s double balconies as she plays loud music (Mozart’s thrilling “Rondo Alla Turca”) and indulges in a slice of cake before dinner (an act deliberately chosen for its defiance of her mother’s prior nitpicking). We are treated to the small but transcendent joy of a slice of cake, enjoyed alone, when the light is just right and the world seems to align. Again calling to mind an exchange between Lady Bird and her mother, Marion: “I want you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be.” “What if this is the best version?” By the final frame of My Happy Family , I like to think Manana has found hers.

Throughout My Happy Family , music is played and performed by the characters. The selections are beautifully instrumental in echoing the emotional tenor of the film, be it joyous or heartbroken. One such celebration comes when Manana and Soso’s son announces his engagement. Their soon-to-be daughter-in-law moves into the shared apartment. Their daughter gives the fiancée a tour and the audience a further sense of people both joining and leaving a family. During an emotional reckoning with her husband, Soso remarks that he thought his home was with Manana and their children — an ideological concept more than a place to live. This entire time we’ve been concerned with her growth and autonomy and, until now, failed to realize that he’s never had the chance to strike out on his own either. Having each migrated from one family home to another, they’ve never lived alone, together. Maybe now is their chance for happiness.

Tagged: Georgia , journey , marriage , mother , woman

Madison Miller was named after "Splash." Her love of film (and mermaids) inevitably followed. She keenly observes the inflight entertainment selections of her fellow travelers, and judges them accordingly. More of her musings can be found at www.reviewfromthetop.com.

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Film Review: ‘My Happy Family’

An interesting sociological perspective on a changing patriarchal society.

By Alissa Simon

Alissa Simon

Film Critic

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“My Happy Family,” the somewhat attenuated second feature from helmers Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross (a real-life couple credited here as “Nana and Simon”), continues their exploration of Georgia’s distaff side with a low-key, slice-of-life look at a middle-aged woman who leaves her husband. With its vociferously arguing family members, multiple dinner table scenes, and camerawork by DP Tudor Vladimir Panduru (who also shot Cristian Mungiu’s “Graduation”), it feels much closer to recent Romanian cinema than to such similarly-themed titles as Paul Mazursky’s “An Unmarried Woman.” Although the energy and freshness of the directors’ acclaimed debut “In Bloom” are not so much in evidence here, “Family” does offer an interesting perspective on a changing patriarchal society, which should serve this sociological drama well on the fest circuit and in niche European play.

When we first meet her, Manana (theater thesp and vocalist Ia Shugliashvili), a 52-year-old high school literature teacher, is checking out a tiny apartment for rent. It soon becomes obvious why she longs for a room of her own: The multi-generational living common to conventional Georgian families is oppressing her and breaking her spirit. Production designer Kote Japharidze and lenser Panduru emphasize the claustrophobia she feels with crowded interiors, low ceilings, and tightly framed shots.

Manana shares a cramped, noisy Tbilisi flat with her aged parents; the overly-critical, nagging Lamara (Berta Khapava) and ailing Otar (Goven Cheishvili); her importuning hubby Soso (international star Merab Ninidze, downplaying his looks and charisma); computer-addicted son Lasha (Giorgi Tabidze); pretty, pregnancy-obsessed daughter Nino (Tsisia Qumsashvili); and Nino’s cheating partner, Vakho (Giorgi Khurtsilava). Not only does she lack space, forced to store her clothes in an occupied spare bedroom, but she has virtually no free time. Her son wants dinner made for him, and her husband insists that she visit with his friends, who drunkenly linger, making music much past their welcome.

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When Manana learns that one of her teenage students has already married and divorced, simply for not getting along with her new husband, it sparks her resolution. The callow youngster’s explanation, “When you say no, you have to mean it,” stands in stark contrast with Manana’s inability to get her family to respect the lines she wants to draw.

Though young Georgians may be marrying young and shedding spouses rather quickly today, it’s another thing altogether for a woman of Manana’s generation. For her, divorce represents a major break from tradition. Rather than trying to understand her desire to live alone, her parents and overbearing older brother Rezo (Dimitri Oragvelidze) worry about what other people will think of their family’s reputation. A council of elderly relatives are equally judgmental; it’s beyond their understanding, as revealed when one comments, “But he doesn’t beat you and isn’t a drunk,” to Soso.

Once on her own, Manana is shown enjoying the small satisfactions of single life: listening to music, reading, noodling on her guitar, changing her clothes without disturbing others, shopping at leisure, nurturing tomato plants on her deck, and eating cake instead of an entire meal without attracting any criticism. She builds her new life slowly, fighting to resist attempts by needy family members to draw her into their time-sucking circle again. But when she attends a school reunion and proudly tells her female friends about her new status, they share some news that comes as a shocking revelation to Manana, and almost shatters her newfound peace of mind.

Providing certain vivid detail but rather lacking in vitality, Ekvtimishvili’s screenplay is stronger on sociology than drama. While she notably contrasts the relationship and lives of three generations of Georgian women, she and editor Stefan Stabenow allow dramatic events such as Manana’s actual divorce and the breakup of Nino and Vakho’s relationship to take place off-screen, robbing the overall action of the dynamism of climatic situations. Instead, scenes of parties and family get-togethers play at extended length, merging into a certain sameness distinguished only by the traditional Georgian songs performed, while the dialogue during the family argument scenes is so repetitive that they feel like rehearsal exercises.

Even though audiences can’t help but feel for Manana and celebrate her courage and resolve, Shugliashvili’s stoop-shouldered, furrowed-brow performance doesn’t completely bring them into the nuances of what she is thinking and feeling. In comparison to Manana, the other characters have so little screen time that they mainly exist as foils, including “In Bloom’s” hot-blooded Natia (Mariam Bokeria), who appears in an amusing cameo as Lasha’s sweet but slightly vulgar fiancée.

Reviewed online, Jan. 18, 2017. (In Sundance, Berlin film festivals.) Running time: 120 MIN. (Original title: ‘Chemi bedinieri ojakhi’)

• Production: (Georgia-Germany-France) An Augenschein Filmproduktion production, in co-production with Polare Film, Arizona Prods., ZDF - Das kleine Fernsehspiel Film. (International sales: Memento Films, Paris.) Producers: Jonas Katzenstein, Maximilian Leo, Simon Gross. Co-producers: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Guillaume De Seille.
• Crew: Directors: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross. Screenplay: Ekvtimishvili. Camera (color, HD): Tudor Vladimir Panduru. Editor: Stefan Stabenow.
• With: Ia Shugliashvili, Merab Ninidze, Berta Khapava, Tsisia Qumsashvili, Giorgi Khurtsilava, Giorgi Tabidze, Goven Cheishvili, Dimitri Oragvelidze, Mariam Bokeria. (Georgian dialogue)  

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My happy family, common sense media reviewers.

Subtitled, mature family drama has cursing, sex.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Importance of asserting individualism and demandin

Central character takes long-needed action to prot

Kissing. References to infidelity, and a brief, se

"Bastard," "s--t."

Wine in social settings. A bit of drunkenness at a

Parents need to know that My Happy Family is a subtitled drama about a multigenerational family living together in Tbilisi, a city in the Eastern European country of Georgia. Such family situations aren't unusual there. At the age of 52, Manana, wife-daughter-mother, at last confronts the impossibility of…

Positive Messages

Importance of asserting individualism and demanding respect. Commitment to family must be balanced with one's own desire for autonomy. Values promoted: integrity, compassion, courage, communication.

Positive Role Models

Central character takes long-needed action to protect herself and find joy in life. She becomes self-assured, decisive, and on the verge of finding balance in her life. Several female characters take steps to stand up for themselves. A stereotypical overbearing mother is a constant irritant.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Kissing. References to infidelity, and a brief, semi-obscured conversation about anal sex.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Wine in social settings. A bit of drunkenness at an adult class reunion. It's implied that a leading character drinks too much. Smoking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that My Happy Family is a subtitled drama about a multigenerational family living together in Tbilisi, a city in the Eastern European country of Georgia. Such family situations aren't unusual there. At the age of 52, Manana, wife-daughter-mother, at last confronts the impossibility of her situation: overbearing parent, ineffectual husband, young adult children who have not fully "launched." Her decision to leave and live on her own throws the family into turmoil. Mature themes (i.e., infidelity, divorce and separation, controlling relationships) are explored. Expect a few curses ("bastard," "s--t"), some drinking and smoking, and conversations about sex. Messages about standing up for oneself, trying to live a meaningful life, and changing unhealthy family dynamics are integrated into the story. This movie is directed at grown-up audiences, not kids. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

Superb film

What's the story.

There's a big, loud, messy family at the heart of MY HAPPY FAMILY, and not necessarily a happy one. With three generations living together in close quarters, everyone's personality, quirks, and emotions impact the others. Manana (Ia Shugliashvili), a high school teacher, is sandwiched between her parents and her children, with her husband passively along for the ride. Manana's needs and desires don't mean much. When her birthday comes around and she asks that it be a quiet time, she's ignored; assorted relatives and friends fill the already burgeoning house. After that event, and a poignant moment alone with one of her students, Manana is moved to take drastic action. When she announces that she's leaving the house and has found an apartment of her own, the rest of the family is stunned. When Manana refuses to discuss her decision, they become upset. When she moves out, they want her back. Is it because they need her? Or is it because they have lost control? As Manana navigates her new life, with time and space for herself, she quickly learns, if she didn't already know, that her role as counsel and caregiver hasn't ended. And she faces events and revelations that profoundly test her determination.

Is It Any Good?

A remarkable performance from Ia Shugliashvili, an inventive take on a familiar premise, and the filmmakers' choice to let their camera hold fast to moments that matter make this movie memorable. It's a solid production all around. There's an artistry to the film's execution, especially performance, music, writing, cinematography. Both characters and the settings feel vibrant and authentic.

However, perhaps the filmmakers made a misstep at the film's end. Though they must believe that the closing scene, though enigmatic, will be satisfying, at least to a degree, it isn't. Despite that minor blemish, all that has gone before makes My Happy Family stirring fare for mature audiences. And it's good to see such a moving, relatable story set in a country not often seen in films that reach America.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the household in My Happy Family . How does this family compare to families you know? How do movies help us understand and relate to people from other cultures and places?

Unlike many films, this one spends time with its characters, especially Manana, during quiet, alone moments. How does this technique help the viewer engage with the people on-screen? For example, how were your perceptions of Manana heightened during the scenes in which she was alone in her new apartment?

What was the purpose of the very first scene? How did it set up its audience for what they were about to see? When do you think Manana made her important decision?

How did Manana exhibit important character strengths and life skills , such as courage , self-control , perseverance , and empathy ?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : December 1, 2017
• Cast : Ia Shugliashvili , Merab Ninidze , Berta Khapava
• Directors : Nana Ekvtimili , Simon Gross
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Brothers and Sisters
• Character Strengths : Communication , Courage
• Run time : 119 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : February 26, 2022

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‘My Happy Family’ Review: A Wife and Mother Escapes Her Trap — Sundance 2017

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It doesn’t take long to realize that the title of the Georgian drama “My Happy Family” is ironic. Directors Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Grob plunge into the restless lifestyle of 52-year-old Manana (Ia Shuvliashvili), the matriarch of a cramped and multigenerational household that includes her husband, grown children, parents and various in-laws who pull her from every angle. And it doesn’t take long for Mañana to realize that to escape the mayhem, much to the shock of everyone around her, she can simply move out.

The ease with which she embarks on this new stage, even as it baffles her entire community, speaks to the remarkable blend of comedy and sadness that characterizes this sophomore effort from the directors of “In Bloom.” It’s at once a celebration of individuality and its potential to unnerve those who resist it.

Manana’s life is defined by routine. She’s a pinball in her apartment, bouncing from one whiny relative to the next, finding only a modicum of respite at the local school where she teaches. It’s there that she learns one of her students just got divorced, which gets Manana thinking maybe she needs to do the same thing. It’s a credit to the subtlety of Ekvtimishvili and Grob’s screenplay that her decision doesn’t stem from a major brawl. When her husband throws her a birthday party she doesn’t want, inviting a bunch of his friends over to drink, her mind’s made up: She’s out of there.

In response, all anyone can do is tell her she’s wrong. Her wily mother hurtles one shrill indictment after another, while the rest of the clan bemoan their own issues, which seem to get worse each time Manana returns from her nearby apartment to check in. In one amusing highlight, her father complains that he’s survived multiple oppressive regimes only to get hit in the nuts during a domestic dispute among younger relatives.

As a whole, Manana’s rowdy family recall the similarly tradition-bound complainers   of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” minus the cheekiness and with a lot more allegiance to the Christian Orthodox Church. The assumption of wisdom behind their ways sets the stage for a series of ridiculous exchanges. When Manana’s relatives sit her down with older members of her community in a last-ditch attempt to get her to stay, their presence is explained in blunt terms: “There are elderly people here. They might say something wise.” They don’t.

Manana’s decision to buck the religious expectations of women in her community gives “My Happy Family” an enlightening feminist streak, which owes much to its central performance. With only a few credits to her name, Shugliashvili turns in a wonderfully textured character who seethes with anger but never erupts. The rest of her family avoids caricature, with her good-natured husband Soso (Merab Ninidze) standing out for the way he expresses genuine concern for his wife while struggling to comprehend her frustrations; later, he reenters her life under new terms, in a twist that suggests the Georgian answer to fluffy studio romances of the “It’s Complicated” variety, but far more nuanced in its implications.

Other relatives show they care for her in wildly miscalculated acts of desperation, particularly her brother Rezo (Dimitri Oragveldze), who sends goons to look after her. Manana’s enlightened sense of self strikes everyone as a malady. “You make problems out of nothing,” says one relative when Manana refuses to justify her decision, and she doesn’t debate the point so much as set it aside; no argument can salvage her from preordained judgement.

“My Happy Family” was shot by Romanian cinematographer Tudor Vladimir Panduru (who also did Cristian Mungiu’s “Graduation”), and recalls many of the strengths found in recent Romanian cinema, which often peers into the hectic personal dramas of characters who are smothered by social expectations. The story is laced with lovely melodies and traditional songs that play off Manana’s internal desperation; the camera roams freely around her in crowded scenes that show just how much the groupthink alienates her from her own needs. One brilliant tracking shot finds her walking away from gossiping women and straight into a roomful of men singing a religious tune, making it clear that there’s no safe place where she can simply be herself.

For the most part, “My Happy Family” hovers in Manana’s conundrum; trapped between her matriarchal sense of responsibility and personal need, her situation doesn’t build to much beyond the initial setup over the course of two hours, and the anti-climactic finale falls short. But that gap in clarity speaks to the underlying power of “My Happy Family”: even as actions speak louder than words, they don’t really make things better.

“My Happy Family” premiered in the World Narrative Competition section at the Sundance Film Festival. It is currently seeking distribution.

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Bilal Zouheir

What it's about.

This movie is a dramatic masterpiece and a tribute to loving middle-aged women everywhere. It is unparalleled in the way it portrays its characters and the subtlety with which it tells their stories. The events are centered around a 52-year-old Georgian woman who decides to leave her family home and live alone without much of a notice. She trades chaos and domestic disputes for solitude, and the prospect of sad old age for an opportunity to build a new life for herself. In other words, she trades being the secondary character to her mother, husband, and children, to being the hero of her own story. A genuine and beautiful film. If like me you grew up with a mother who sacrificed everything for you, this will hit very close to home.

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‘my happy family’ (‘chemi bednieri ojakhi’): film review | sundance 2017.

Georgian directoring duo Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross ('In Bloom') deliver a sophomore feature about a woman who decides to leave the homestead in 'My Happy Family'.

By Jordan Mintzer

Jordan Mintzer

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My Happy Family - Still 1 - H 2017

The famous George Burns quote that “Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city” is literally put into practice by the heroine of Georgian directors Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Gross’ perceptive and endearing second feature, about a 52-year-old mother who changes her life by moving out of the house. It’s a simple, somewhat mundane scenario that, in the hands of a terrific cast and two talented filmmakers, is transformed into a minor Greek comic-tragedy, with one fearless woman trying to stave off loved ones who smother her with guilt and affection.

Premiering in Sundance’s World Dramatic competition before screening at the Berlinale Forum, the film should find takers in co-producing countries France and Germany, with additional slots in select territories – including the U.S., where the duo’s prizewinning feature debut, In Bloom , received limited distribution back in 2014.

The Bottom Line Movin’ out.

Reminiscent of Romanian New Wave dramas like Cristi Puiu’s recent Sieranevada , the ironically titled My Happy Family ( Chemi Bednieri Ojakhi ) takes a low-key, immersive approach to the travails of Manana ( Ia Shugliashvili ), a schoolteacher who lives with her parents, husband and grown-up children in a crowded apartment in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi . From the first time we see her at home, where she’s encircled by feckless kids and a nagging mother ( Berta Khapava ) who makes the one in Woody Allen’s Oedipus Wrecks seem like a model of restraint in comparison, it’s clear that Manana suffers from genealogical overkill and needs a break.   

She finds a way out by renting a modest two-room flat in another part of town, leaving her mom’s house without offering so much as a simple explanation to her husband, Soso ( Merab Ninidze ), a man of few words with whom she seems to have a thorny relationship. Meanwhile, her daughter, Nino ( Tsisia Qumsashvili ) and son, Lasha ( Giorgi Tabidze ), seem to accept Manana’s decision – or are otherwise too caught up in their own lives to care – while her mother fights tooth and nail to keep her home.

Shooting in uninterrupted takes with direct sound and no additional score, Nana & Simon (as the directors call themselves) initially plunge us into the loud and turbulent household from which  Manana hopes to escape, with an early table scene reminiscent of – to cite Woody Allen again – the boisterous dinner scene flashback in Annie Hall . It’s nearly impossible to escape company inside crammed living quarters that are constantly filled with visiting family members and friends, and Manana can’t even get clothing out of the closet without upsetting her daughter and causing a ruckus.

When she finally moves out, she seems to be breathing the air of freedom for the first time, and the filmmakers contrast the earlier scenes of collective chaos with ones of Manana sitting alone in her quiet new living room with the window open, or else listening to a Mozart piano sonata as the sun goes down. Gradually, we learn that she once had a life of her own before giving it all up for the family, and when an old schoolmate invites her to a class reunion, she reveals herself to be a passionate singer and guitar player, belting out a love song that nearly brings her friends to tears.

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For her first role in a feature movie, Shugliashvili offers up a movingly restrained performance that slowly but surely bears its fruits as Manana’s decision winds up having a few third-act repercussions, though not necessarily negative ones. Indeed, the closing reels of My Happy Family may seem a bit underwhelming considering all the build-up, though Nana and Simon are less concerned with dramatic tension than with conveying Manana’s ongoing struggles to escape the crushing onslaught of traditional domesticity, especially in a country and culture where people rarely stray far from home.

Alongside the strong ensemble cast, including Ninidze as a husband who’s conspicuously silent about his wife’s behavior, superb camerawork by Tudor Vladimir Panduru ( Cristian Mungiu’s Graduation ) involves lots of complex staging in tight quarters, with characters popping out from all angles like zombies assailing a lone woman under siege. There is truly no privacy to be found in a crowded house, and as Manana’s soon learns at a certain price, perhaps the best solution in such cases is to become a family of one.

Venue: Sundance Film Festival (World Dramatic Competition) Production company: Augenschein Filmproduktion Cast: Ia Shugliashvili , Merab Ninidze , Berta Khapava , Tsisia Qumsashvili , Giorgi Khurtsilava , Giorgi Tabidze , Goven Cheishvili , Dimitri Oragvelidze Directors: Nana Ekvtimishvili , Simon Gross Screenwriter: Nana Ekvtimishvili Producers: Jonas Katzenstein , Maximilian Leo, Simon Gross Director of photography: Tudor Vladimir Panduru Production designer: Kote Japharidze Costume designer: Medea Bakradze Editor: Stefan Stabenow Casting director: Leli Miminoshvili Sales: Memento Films International

In Georgian 119 minutes

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Happy Family

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Happy Family Conditions Apply

The Dholakia family's household has four generations living under one roof, navigate the many ups and downs of their lives together. The Dholakia family's household has four generations living under one roof, navigate the many ups and downs of their lives together. The Dholakia family's household has four generations living under one roof, navigate the many ups and downs of their lives together.

• Aatish Kapadia
• Jamnadas Majethia
• Ratna Pathak Shah
• Atul Kulkarni
• 47 User reviews
• 7 Critic reviews
• 2 wins & 8 nominations

Episodes 10

• Mansukhlal Dholakia

• Hemlata Dholakia

• Ramesh Dholakia …

• Pallavi Dholakia
• Sanjay Dholakia …
• Tisca Dholakia
• Ayushi Dholakia

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• Sheela Masi

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• February 19, 2023 (United States)
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Jerry Bruckheimer Says His New Disney Film Is 'The Highest-Testing Movie I've Ever Made'

Oscar-winning producer Jerry Bruckheimer discusses his new movie, Young Woman and the Sea.

• Acclaimed producer Jerry Bruckheimer calls his new movie the “highest-testing movie” he has ever made.
• Story of female empowerment, overcoming obstacles drew Bruckheimer to Young Woman and the Sea project.
• Young Woman and the Sea met with rave reviews; Daisy Ridley's star power shines in an inspirational story.

In an exclusive interview with us here at MovieWeb , legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer , who has been nominated for 48 Oscars, won seven, and has produced the Top Gun movies, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the National Treasure movies, the Bad Boys movies, and the Beverly Hills Cop series, calls his new movie the “highest-testing movie” he has ever made . Titled Young Woman and the Sea , the movie stars Star Wars actor Daisy Ridley in a real-life story about the first woman to swim across the English Channel.

“It's the highest-testing movie ever made, and I've made some pretty big movies. So audiences really love this movie when they get in there, and people are always looking for good entertainment. And this is really good entertainment. It's a captivating story. You feel something in there. And it's well told."

Jerry Bruckheimer Still Wants Nicolas Cage for National Treasure 3: 'We Have a Brilliant Writer Working on It Right Now'

We asked Bruckheimer why he bought the rights to the book Young Woman and the Sea, with the hugely successful producer citing the story’s themes of female empowerment and overcoming obstacles that drew him to the project.

"It's a story about female empowerment. It's a story about a woman who overcame all kinds of obstacles. She's an immigrant, she was partially deaf. We try to inspire people. She's a very inspirational character. And we want people in the world to see her story and see what she had to overcome, so they can see what they can overcome in their lives, too."

Young Woman and the Sea Has Been Met With Rave Reviews

Young woman and the sea.

Young Woman and the Sea tells the story of Gertrude Ederle, an American swimming champion, who first won a gold medal at the 1924 Olympic Games. In 1926, Ederle became the first woman to swim 21 miles across the English Channel.

Directed by Joachim Rønning and written by Jeff Nathanson, Young Woman and the Sea is based on the 2009 book of the same name by Glenn Stout and stars Daisy Ridley alongside Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Christopher Eccleston, and Glenn Fleshler.

You can check out the official synopsis for the movie below:

"Daisy Ridley stars as the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the staggering achievement -- a 21-mile trek from France to England."

Clearly, Bruckheimer knows what he’s doing, with Young Woman and the Sea being met with positive reviews from critics . The movie currently stands at a “Certified Fresh” rating of 86% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus reading, “Buoyed by Daisy Ridley's radiant star power and the remarkable trajectory of Gertrude Ederle's life story, Young Woman and the Sea is an old-fashioned sports movie that harkens back to the classics in the best way.”

Young Woman and the Sea is out now in select theaters.

Arthur The King No Spoiler Review and Blu Ray Giveaway

H appy last Friday of May friends! May is one of those months that has thirty one days that pass by in the blink of an eye because of all the end of school year activities. Even though I’m on the other side of the May school day chaos, I remember it well and so many of my friends and readers are still in te thick of it. This giveaway is my way of helping you kick of your summer family movie nights in style. 

Arthur The King Out Film Now on Demand and Blu-Ray!

Lionsgate Entertainment Inc./Directed by: Simon Cellan Jones /Screenplay by: Michael Brandt/ Run Time:107 mins./Genre: Adventure, Drama /Rated: PG-13 for some strong language

Cast : 

• Mark Wahlberg- The Departed, The Fighter, Invincible
• Simu Liu- Barbie, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Juliet Rylance-  A Dog’s Purpose, Frances Ha, TV’s “Perry Mason”
• Nathalie Emmanuel- TV’s “Game of Thrones,” Fast X, Furious 7
• Ali Suliman
• And Paul Guilfoyle

Based on a true story and based upon the book Arthur: The Dog who crossed the Jungle to find a Home by Michael Lindnord is a heartwarming story of an unbreakable bond between pro adventure racer Michael Light and a scrappy street dog companion dubbed Arthur over the course of a grueling 10-day, 435-mile racecourse.

Arthur The King follows Michael Light, desperate for one last chance to win, as he convinces a sponsor to back him and a team of athletes for the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic.

Pushing the team to the outer limits of endurance and sacrifice, Arthur redefines what victory, loyalty, and friendship truly mean.

Arthur The King Blu-Ray Special Features:

• Blu-ray™ + DVD Special Features:
• Audio Commentary with Director Simon Cellan Jones and Author Mikael Lindnord
• Audio Commentary with Producers Tucker Tooley and Tessa Tooley
• Audio Commentary with Producer Mark Canton and Executive Producer Dorothy Canton
• “Finding Arthur” featurette
• “A Love Letter to Arthur” featurette
• “A Dog’s Journey: Making Arthur the King” featurette
• Mark Wahlberg and Best Friends Animal Society
• Theatrical Trailer
• Fandango at Home Exclusive Featurette – “Adventure Racing: On Set”

My Thoughts:

I saved this film to watch on Memorial Day with my family since they were all eager to see it too, To say we all enjoyed it and were emotionally invested is a bit of an understatement. We took turns exclaiming shock, encouragement during tense moments, sadness and lastly celebrating together at the outcome of this superb film.

The lush jungle scenes pull you in and tell so much of the story, as does the scene stealer, Arthur. He is such a smart and caring dog! He turns out to be the real MVP! Even if you aren’t a dog person, like the team leader Michael, I think you’ll enjoy this feel good adventure film as much as all of us did. 

The Takeaway:

Whether you’re a dog lover, an avid cyclist, or perhaps just a fan of this films actors ( Simi Liu is on top of his acting game right now!), I think you’ll find this film entertaining. Its not a long movie, so kids won’t get bored. There is a few scenes that are tense and have some strong language so you’ll want to watch this film with them. 

I invite you to learn more about this film by visiting the official Arthur The King movie website and follow along on your favorite social media platform by using #ArthurTheKing and please  Follow me on socials too @ismilefirst.  

If you enjoyed this review, please check out my other film reviews here on the blog by using the Entertainment tab . 

Thanks to today’s sponsors Lionsgate, one lucky winner will receive The King Arthur Blu-Ray. Entering is easy and free using the Rafflecopter form. Open to U.S. residents of the 48 contiguous United States. Please read the full terms below before entering. I will check! Thank you. 

No purchase is necessary to enter using the Rafflecopter form below. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment, the sponsor is. Winners will be notified by email used on the entry form and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel.

Please share in comments: If you win, who will you watch this film with?