Blcklst Reviews

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Review 1 : Published 12-21-22

Overall 7/10

Premise 8/10

Plot 7/10

Character 8/10

Dialogue 8/10

Setting 8/10

Era

Contemporary

Genre

Drama

Logline

An author who is still recovering from a family tragedy teaches a HAPPINESS 101 course at a university in order to help students understand the true meaning of happiness.

Strengths

This is the kind of script that can deeply resonate with audiences and stay with them long after. The subject matter this deals with and the ways in which the writer beautifully navigates complex themes like death, grief, loss, and happiness were compelling to watch unfold on the page. Reed's character journey and his interactions with students and fellow faculty members provided for strong and meaningful banter. A few very strong and memorable examples that really stood out include: REED It’s clear to me you’re smart. You’re motivated and you’re fucked up. HAZEL How’s that clear to you? REED Because I’m smart, motivated and fucked up. ADEENA You’ll never know the true heights of happiness without having experienced the depths of depression. Additionally, specific scenes that stood out as quite powerful and really worked include: Reed's initial intro into the class, the sequence with Hazel and Reed in the diner initially, the scene where Hazel and Tav walk together in the snow, the scene at Lighthouse Beach, all of the scenes where Reed poses thematic questions to the classmates and to the audience were thoroughly compelling, the scene where Reed finds out what Hazel did, and the scene where Hazel shows up at Olivia's family's house were all very, very strong. Setting-wise, the world came to life quite beautifully on the page.

Weaknesses

There is so much to love about this script, and so much of it is already working great. With this in mind, the areas of opportunity are just fleshing out certain plot elements/storylines more so that this can hit at the strongest emotional level possible. Would recommend for the writer to flesh out more of the ending. Because the audience doesn't fully see what's in the text message that 'dings' in class, it's hard to make the emotional leap when the class all shows up for Reed at his house. Would recommend expanding on this more. Additionally, for the Tav/Hazel storyline, on page 71, it feels like Tav's love for Hazel happens a bit too quickly that it's hard to buy into. Would recommend trying to go deeper when they initially connect so that when he expresses this love for her, it lands a bit more. On this note, would also recommend tying up the ending with Tav. Does he eventually realize that his assumption was wrong when he saw Hazel and Reed? Does Hazel ever tell him what really happened? Within that spirit, would also recommend fleshing out more of Reed's trauma and how he handles it at the end. Does he decide to meet with Greg Vance after Hazel's experience? Would it make the story more emotional if we see Reed get triggered during therapy to when he first found out the news of the accident? Does he write another book?

Prospects:

This is a thoroughly compelling script that deserves to get made and could definitely have a big impact on audiences searching for the answers the protagonist explores and that the writer so beautifully poses throughout this piece. The writing is excellent and clearly that of a strong professional. With an additional small pass to further flesh out some of the storyline elements mentioned above even further, this would be ready to start exploring/going out for producer and/or buyer consideration. This script feels akin to critical and successfully revered hits like DEAD POETS SOCIETY, MONA LISA SMILE, and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, and could definitely have a strong play at theatrical studios and big streamers like Netflix and Paramount+ alike. To note, similarly to some of the students who initially walked out in the intro, there will likely be some buyers and players who will get pulled out of wanting to explore some of these darker themes. However, that really shouldn't deter the path forward on this as it is a meaningful script, and landing the right producer and production partner will help to move that needle forward on this in a big way. It is also quite rare to find a script that can have that impact, so this should definitely have strong prospects and paths forward.

Review 2 : Published 12-16-22

Overall 7/10

Premise 7/10

Plot 6/10

Character 6/10

Dialogue 7/10

Setting 7/10

Era

present day

Genre

Drama

Logline

A professor and author who wrote the literal book on Happiness attempts to hide his grief after a terrible accident forever changes his perception of his previous expertise.

Strengths

HAPPINESS 101 delivers a searing portrait of grief, kindness, and forgiveness. The script’s greatest strengths stem from its undeniably sharp, witty dialogue that imparts an insightful exploration of processing and moving past trauma and guilt with plenty of playful deflection. Reed is easily empathetic in his pain, and even with a nearly impenetrable mask, he imparts enough wisdom and clarity to teach his students a grounded, if fractured, understanding of happiness. The writer carefully weaves both Reed and Hazel's mental fragility with gradually rising tension, each succumbing to the weight of their guilt while finding solace and forgiveness in each other. In spite of their conflicting circumstances, each of the characters gradually accepts and embodies strength and compassion, crafting a satisfying, if tear-filled, resolution.

Weaknesses

The character study is compelling and solid, but there is an opportunity to strive for more specificity and intensity which will help regulate the pacing and craft a deeply captivating narrative with a heart-rending resolution. Every bit of additional detail, including more thoroughly developed secondary characters, will build tension and further perfect the mood and tone of the story. Reed and Hazel can rattle off witticisms and clichés that charm and amuse, but the endless deflection grows tiring as the story moves forward, revealing a fairly superficial and slightly heavy-handed portrayal rather than allowing the pain and messiness of life to fill out the emotional drive. Make the audience feel and know and grieve alongside them rather than lose their attention waiting for that honesty. The humor is necessary and entertaining, but finding a balance between the jokes and the stripped-down authenticity is where the gut-wrenching intensity lies.

Prospects:

An emotionally resonant narrative with a micro-budget and casting opportunities for compelling, diverse characters should give HAPPINESS 101 prospects as a small-scale drama for indie producers and streamers alike. As mentioned above, there is some development work to be completed, and the indie market is certainly in flux at this time, but the project should garner attention on the premise and strength of the writing as the work progresses.

Review 3 : Published 12-20-22

Overall 6/10

Premise 6/10

Plot 5/10

Character 6/10

Dialogue 7/10

Setting 5/10

Era

Present or 2010s

Genre

Comedy, Dark Comedy, Dramatic Comedy, Drama, Coming-of-Age

Logline

A grieving, depressed professor, ironically known for his best-selling book and class about happiness, struggles to change his outlook and keep his job while forming an important connection with a student who has endured a similar tragedy.

Strengths

The dialogue is definitely the most effective aspect of HAPPINESS 101. First, the characters' voice sound pretty natural throughout the piece. Second, the conversations always move back-and-forth quickly, which is a crucial detail. Those rapid exchanges - like we see between Reed and Adeena on page 75, for instance - help ensure that the script has an energy on the page that will translate to the screen successfully. (One dialogue note: there might be room to give the leads slightly more distinct voices to help bring their individual personalities to life.) There are also some strong character elements here, and the script does a particularly nice job making Tav pretty off-putting. The fact that he wonders if Hazel is "breaking up with" him on 58 before they're even together is a strange and telling detail, and his hope that "being into me was enough" on 65 also gives us a clear sense that he's misreading his situation with Hazel. Tav's 8 MILE imitation is plenty odd as well, and the fact that he jealously tells the administration about Hazel going to Reed's home is really irritating. Finally, Reed's passage on 93 about how he just wants to "get the day over with" is an especially affecting description of his depression, and the twist regarding Hazel's role in her accident is a clever concept.

Weaknesses

Some reworking could help make Reed's story feel a little more directional. As written, we largely just watch him wander through a very hard year rather than seeing him work toward a specific goal to give the script an overarching through-line. He wants to keep his job, in theory, but at the moment, Adeena often just makes that decision on her own. She decides Reed is "on the right track" on 69, and says she's been "monitoring his classes," but we don't exactly know what goes into her judgment. If Reed keeping his job is going to be a true through-line, then Adeena could establish more clearly what he must do in act one, with Reed struggling to meet her explicit expectations throughout. Reed contending with his grief could come to the forefront much earlier as well. He doesn't admit, "I need help," until 91 right now, and William falls out of the story until then too. Similarly, if helping Hazel is a crucial objective for Reed, then Adeena could establish more effectively in act one that she wants Reed to help "get [Hazel] over it" - something she doesn't say until 89. Lastly, the first 15 pages could hint at Reed's loss more forcefully, which is important in making him sympathetic, and it seems his true low point comes on 95 here, which would typically happen around page 82 in a script of this length.

Prospects:

There are certainly positives concerning this screenplay's commercial viability, though that doesn't necessarily mean that HAPPINESS 101 has an easy path to the silver screen immediately. The biggest obstacle right now: the piece still might improve with some developing, first and foremost from a plot standpoint, and projects rarely earn a financial commitment for that type of script work these days. Instead, buyers often hope the writer will complete the type of changes suggested above on their own time. It's also worth noting that this type of character-driven dramatic-comedy isn't always thought to be one of the most inherently commercial genres. (Genres that naturally get the audience's heart racing - such as horror, mysteries, action, and so on - are usually thought to be the most commercial.) These lead characters are definitely the right ages to be played by well-known actors, though it is always difficult to secure commitments from top talent before a script is in top form. One crucial positive here: this wouldn't be a very complicated or expensive film to produce. Having a more manageable prospective budget, of course, opens up a wider range of potential financiers, and a small indie budget could be enough for this movie.