Not Another Happy Ending is from Scotland. The 2013 romance about a writer and her publisher is light and fun and utterly predictable. Nothing is wrong with a predictable romance, because half the fun comes from watching the people involved figure out who it is they are supposed to be with. The audience, of course, knows this from the beginning.
Not Another Happy Ending features actors I’d mostly never heard of, speaking with lovely Scottish brogues, and some gorgeous scenic views of Scotland that add to the film’s satisfactions.
Karen Gillan plays Jane Lockhart, a first time novelist with a best seller on her hands. Tom Duval (Stanley Weber), her publisher, is waiting for her to finish her second novel, but she’s blocked. Tom’s assistant Roddy is played by Iain De Caestecker.
Tom, by the way, is French. So there’s some French accent tossed in with all the Scottish accents.
Jane Lockhart’s first novel is about her anguished relationship with her father (Gary Lewis). When the book comes out, her father appears and they begin a tenuous reconciliation.
As Jane becomes famous, she is latched onto by a screen writer named Willie Scott (Henry Ian Cusick). They move in together and she is very happy. Except she can’t write when she’s happy.
Tom sets out to make her miserable. It’s harder than it sounds. Especially since the main character from her second novel Darcie (Amy Manson) hangs about and talks to Jane at inappropriate moments – like constantly.
As with all romantic comedies, it all works out in the end. It’s getting there that creates the story. Not Another Happy Ending breaks the rom-com rules just enough to make it interesting.
I happened to find the film on Amazon Video. It’s probably available in other places as well. If you watch it, leave a comment telling why you loved it (or hated it).
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I believe Ms. Gillan starred in a show on ABC two or so years ago, and has a prominent role in “Guardians of the Galaxy” both 1 and 2.
She was in several episodes of Doctor Who, too.
I haven’t seen it, but it sounds promising. I welcome romantic comedies…not enough of them being made!
You know, I hadn’t thought about it before, but it does seem like the rom-com is a fading genre.
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