Mail-Order Bliss

Authors: Brian
Location: Arizona

“Mail-Order Bliss”

Directed by Michael Gondry & Spike Jonze
Written by Charlie Kauffman and David Webb Peoples
Produced by Anthony Bregman, Georges Bermann and Steve Golin

Principal Cast:

Don Cheadle (Lamont Wilson)
Maria Bello (Happiness)
Halle Berry (Stella Wilson, His Wife)
Peter Sarsgaard (Alex Hilton, His Friend)
Robert Downey Jr. (Andrew Nicholson, Her Creator)
Julie Deply (Lola Jenson, His Friend)
Bill Paxton (Dr. Richard Routh, Inventor of the Transformation)

Tagline: "Happiness is $19.95 away"

Synopsis: Lamont Wilson is perfectly well-off. He has a nice job, a beautiful wife (Berry) and a pleasant reputation. But he isn't happy. He's not depressed or fearful or stressed. But he isn't happy. And how does one get happiness? Through life changes? Through finding yourself? No. Through mail-order delivery.

Dr. Richard Routh has created a marvel new process, known simply as the "Transformation". He says it is what will create peace throughout the world. It's a surprisingly simple procedure where scientists, headed by Andrew Nicholson, create a "brain" that thinks only happiness and nothing else. They then put it into the body of a pale-skinned, blonde clone, and send it to whoever orders. Over the course of a few weeks, the influence of happiness is "guaranteed" to spread upon the consumer. Lamont becomes the first customer...

A week after placing an order, Lamont finds a woman standing at his front door when he gets home from work. She stands with a smile and says "Hello, Lamont Wilson. I am Happiness." Happiness walks gracefully, and smiles 24 hours a day, even in her sleep. Lamont follows the instructions, and the film covers his friend's reactions, his struggle to deal with the clone and his increased "happiness". As Lamont becomes more “happy”, Stella becomes jealous and suspicious of Happiness. In a stunning and wonderfully funny, Stella has become nervous that Lamont will leave her for Happiness. She sits down to talk to her. She asks her about it, and Happiness responds, “I think we’re both super! But he thinks I’m super-duper!” At the end, Lamont has become a completely aloof and giddy, but he never feels sad. The question is: What is happiness? Is it the inability to feel sad, or the ability to feel sad, but never needing to?

What the press would say:

This is the strangest movie I’ve seen in years. Maybe decades. Maybe ever. It’s also one of the best.

The performance by Maria Bello will live on in cinematic history forever, as will the stylish, savvy and wise direction by Michael Gondry and Spike Jonze (a daring, yet rewarding move. Expect to see more of their teaming soon). However, the most remarkable thing is the script by Charlie Kauffman and David Webb Peoples. By using laugh out loud humor, heartbreaking drama and stunning fantasy, they make us believe that everything, even the most unbelievable things, could happen any day. Expect the Academy to reward this very original film with the following nominations…

Best Picture
Best Director (Michael Gondry & Spike Jonze)
Best Actor (Don Cheadle)
Best Actress (Maria Bello)
Best Supporting Actress (Halle Berry)
Best Original Screenplay
Best Makeup
Best Costume Design
Best Art Direction
Best Cinematography
Best Film Editing