Happiness (1998 film)

Happiness is a 1998 American comedydrama film written and directed by Todd Solondz, that portrays the lives of three sisters, their families and those around them. The film was awarded the FIPRESCI Prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival for its bold tracking of controversial contemporary themes, richlylayered subtext, and remarkable fluidity of visual style, and the cast received the National Board of Review award for best ensemble performance.

Trish Maplewood, the eldest Jordan sister, is an upper middle class housewife happily married to psychiatrist Bill Maplewood and has three children. Unbeknownst to Trish, however, Bill is a pedophile who is obsessed with 11yearold Johnny Grasso, a classmate of their son, Billy. When Johnny comes to the Jordan house for a sleepover, Bill drugs and rapes him. Later, Bill learns that another boy, Ronald Farber, is home alone while his parents are away in Europe. Under the guise of attending a PTA meeting, Bill drives to the boys house and rapes him as well. After Johnny is taken to the hospital and found to have been sexually abused, the police arrive at the Maplewood residence to question Bill. After alerting his wife to the police presence, Bill begins by asking the two detectives, You said something about Ronald Farber? The two detectives, looking puzzled, say nothing. Bill then stammers, I mean, Johnny Grasso. Out on bail, he tearfully admits to Billy that he fucked the boys, that he enjoyed it, and that he would do it again. When Billy asks, Would you ever fuck me?, his father replies, No... Id jerk off instead.Helen Jordan, the middle sister, is a successful author who is adored and envied by everyone she knows, and can have any man she wants. Her charmed life leaves her ultimately unfulfilled, however, and she despairs that no one wants her for herself, and that the praise regularly heaped upon her is undeserved. She is fascinated by an unknown man who makes obscene phone calls to her apartment and tries to seek out a relationship with him. But she is disappointed when she finds out the man is her neighbor Allen, to whom she is not attracted. Allenwho is coincidentally one of Bills patientssinks into depression as Helens rejection ruins his fantasies, and he realizes that a woman who truly cares for him, Kristina, has been right under his nose all along. ........

Source: Wikipedia