Happy Accidents

2001

Happy Accidents

Critics Consensus

Happy Accidents has enough quirkiness and charm to rise above the more formulaic entries in the romantic comedy genre.

72%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 61

75%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 7,367
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Movie Info

Is Ruby Weaver's Mr. Right really an emissary from the year 2,470, or is he just a complete loon ball? This question is at the heart of Brad Anderson's whimsical romantic comedy. The story opens with Ruby (Marisa Tomei) lamenting over her boyfriend Sam (Vincent D'Onofrio) to her shrink (Holland Taylor). In a series of flashbacks, the film quickly sketches Ruby as a neurotic with an unhappy track record concerning men and Sam as an oddball who is afraid of small dogs and has a barcode tattooed to his arm. But he's nuts over Ruby, and at least initially, that is enough for her. Slowly, Sam begins to reveal his "past." He tells her that he is from the Dubuque of the future and that he hails from a rare "anachronistic" family who believe that reproduction should occur the old-fashioned, fun way as opposed to the more popular cloning method. At first, Ruby is amused, until she realizes that he's not kidding. After a series of arguments, he agrees to visit Ruby's analyst, which yields unexpected results. This film premiered at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival.
  • Rating:
    R (adult situations/language)
  • Genre:
    Comedy, Drama, Romance
  • Directed By:
    Brad Anderson
  • Written By:
    Brad Anderson
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    IFC Films

Cast

Vincent D'Onofrio
as Sam
Marisa Tomei
as Ruby
Nadia Dajani
as Gretchen
Holland Taylor
as Therapist
Tovah Feldshuh
as Lillian
Sean Gullette
as Mark
Bronson Dudley
as Victor
José Zúñiga
as Jose
Jason Chandani
as Sunil
Cara Buono
as Bette
Liana Pai
as Claire
Tamara Jenkins
as Robin
Richard Portnow
as Trip
Saidah Arrika Ekulona
as Nurse
Mick Weber
as Floor Supervisor
Sam Seder
as Ned
Lyn Vaus
as Pharmacist
Anthony Michael Hall
as Famous Actor
H. Jon Benjamin
as Reveler No. 1
Kathryn Tucker
as Reveler No. 2
Mike McGlone
as Tab
Michael Buscemi
as Pedestrian
Joreen Baquilod
as Korean Girl
Elizabeth Gajadharsingh
as Sunil's Young Daughter
Steve Gevodan
as Frenchman
Larry Fessenden
as Junkie
Robert Stanton
as Fetishist
Neal Huff
as Artist
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Critic Reviews for Happy Accidents

All Critics (61) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (44) | Rotten (17)

View All Critic Reviews (61)

Audience Reviews for Happy Accidents

  • Jul 15, 2012
    This was recently on Entertainment Weekly's 50 Best Movies You've Never Seen list, and it certainly is awesome despite its kooky concept of whether Ruby's new lover is a potentially dangerous paranoid-delusional or if he's actually a time traveler from 2470. What I really enjoyed is that I couldn't figure it out either. Sam's backstory and mission are convincingly explained away by some futuristic developments, but everything the shrink says about temporal lobe epilepsy seems valid as well. Vincent D'Onofrio is just sweet enough and just lazy-faced-crazy enough to lend a slight disturbance to this otherwise light romance.
    Alice S Super Reviewer
  • Jan 03, 2012
    This was a pretty good movie. Solid performances from the cast and the hint of mystery make the movie intriguing to watch, if anything else. It's not mind-blowing by any means and it lacks something, and I'm not sure what it would've been, that might have made the movie better. But, again, it's a solid movie. Nothing more, nothing less.
    Jesse O Super Reviewer
  • Jan 03, 2012
    It Like like K-PAX, but with Tomei and D'Onofrio relationship as the centerpiece. Quirky and Romantic, it really doesn't reach mind bending for me. The tension of the story is held squarely "Is D'Onofrio" sane or a time traveler. There is a quirky chemestry that works, D'Onofrio is smitten with Tormei and Tormei is in love with his dedication to her (after a life full of failed romances).
    Bill C Super Reviewer
  • Jan 11, 2009
    It was okay. I don't think I'm the right audience for romantic films , I guess.
    Marion R Super Reviewer
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