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Malin Akerman, Josh Radnor, Michael Algieri, Kate Mara, Bram Barouh ... see more see more... , Zoe Kazan , Dana Barron , Pablo Schreiber , Sunah Bilsted , Tony Hale , Jimmy Lee Gary Jr. , Richard Jenkins , Mama Kohn , Laith Nakli , Katharine Powell , Maria Elena Ramirez , Peter Scanavino , Maryann Urbano , Fay Wolf

Josh Radnor (CBS' Emmy-nominated How I Met Your Mother) wrote, directed and stars in happythankyoumoreplease, a sharp comedy centered on a group of 20-something New Yorkers struggling to figure out th... read more read more...emselves, their lives and their loves. On his way to a meeting with a publisher, aspiring novelist Sam Wexler (Radnor) finds Rasheen, a young boy separated from his family on the subway. When the quiet Rasheen refuses to be left alone with social services, Sam learns the boy has already been placed in six previous foster homes and impulsively agrees to let the boy stay with him for a couple days. Dropped into Sam's chaotic, bachelor lifestyle, Rasheen is introduced to Sam's circle of friends; Annie (Malin Akerman) who has an unhealthy pattern of dating the wrong men, as well as an auto-immune disorder which has rendered her hairless, Mary-Catherine (Zoe Kazan) and Charlie (Pablo Schreiber) whose potential move to Los Angeles threatens their relationship, and Mississippi (Kate Mara), an aspiring singer/waitress who tests Sam's fear of commitment. When Sam's unexpected friendship with Rasheen develops, he realizes adulthood is not about waiting for the right answers to get the life you want, but simply stumbling ahead and figuring them out in the process. Featuring a brilliant young cast and music from breaking indie musicians, happythankyoumoreplease deftly captures the uncertainty and angst of what it is to be young, vulnerable, and desperate to find out who you are - or perhaps more importantly, who you want to be. -- (C) Hannover House

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R, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: Josh Radnor

Release Date: March 4, 2011

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DVD Release Date: June 21, 2011

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Flixster Reviews (477)

  • itsjustme2004
    January 9, 2012
    itsjustme2004
    So good!! Josh Radnor is a very charming, and funny actor (and a good director, I might add). This little Independent project of his turned out to be a very fun, and endearing, movie. Love the witty dialogue, and the musical montage ending that gives "closure" to all the story li... read morenes within the film. Very enjoyable!
  • fernandorafael
    October 10, 2011
    fernandorafael
    Josh Radnor, better known as "Ted" from sitcom How I Met Your Mother, directs, writes and stars in happythankyoumoreplease, a beautiful dramedy with a pleasant, offbeat soundtrack. Already a winner at Sundance, Radnor shows real promise as a director and even more so as a writer.... read more I loved how his characters are fully relatable but just a little bit twisted. They're brought to life in great performances by Radnor, Malin Åkerman, Zoe Kazan, Pablo Schreiber, Kate Mara and especially Tony Hale.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    September 28, 2011
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "Go get yourself loved."

    Captures a generational moment - young people on the cusp of truly growing up, tiring of their reflexive cynicism, each in their own ways struggling to connect and define what it means to love and be loved.

    ... read morehoolbook">REVIEW
    "I was a well-fed, middle-class kid who came from good parents; I've got no material." Those words, spoken by Sam the writer, are just one example of how Josh Radnor blurs the lines between writer and character in his debut film, happythankyoumoreplease. In it, we follow the lives of a few late-20s/early-30s bachelors and bachelorettes in New York City, a place Radnor portrays endearingly. Sam (played by Radnor) is a cynical writer desperately trying to sell one of his short stories. His best friend Anne (Malin Akerman) can't seem to stop dating the wrong guys. His cousin Mary (Zoe Kazan) is pressured by her boyfriend to go to Los Angeles (a city she loathes) and leave New York (the city she calls home). Along the way we meet all sorts of characters, including Rasheen, a "young black child" who, after shuffling through several foster families, has no home.

    Sam takes Rasheen in for awhile, at least until he can figure out what to do with him. Anne accuses him of using the boy for material, but it's more complicated than that. Although we've seen the little-kid-sidekick device before, it's so lightheartedly entertaining here that we really don't care. Michael Algieri's debut as Rasheen will steal your heart. I have yet to mention Mississippi, a bartender/cabaret singer, played by the lovely Kate Mara, who serves as Sam's romantic conflict. They hit it off quickly, possibly too quickly, and we wonder if they've met at the wrong time. Regardless, their interactions are the most cringe-worthy of the film (see: "let's clean each other up" and "you write short stories, I'm ready for the novel").

    On the other hand, great music from Jaymay kept me in tune with the film's title. It serves as a narrative soundtrack for happythankyoumoreplease and gives it an indie feel (the film won the Audience Award for Best Drama at Sundance). Although at times cheesy and clichéd, Radnor's debut tells an epigrammatic story about characters we genuinely care about. Sam's not delivering a profound revelation when he says "every five years I realize what an asshole I was five years ago." Yet the inherent modesty in that statement says a lot about Radnor's work.
  • LWOODS04
    August 2, 2011
    LWOODS04
    Cast: Josh Radnor, Malin Akerman, Michael Algieri, Zoe Kazan, Kate Mara, Tony Hale, Pablo Schreiber, Peter Scanavino, Richard Jenkins

    Director: Josh Radnor

    Summary: On the way to meet a publisher, aspiring novelist Sam (Josh Radnor) encounters Rasheen (Michael Algieri) al... read moreone on the subway. While struggling to decide whether to send the young boy back to foster care, Sam looks after Rasheen and learns a few important life lessons. Meanwhile, Sam's friends deal with various romantic tribulations. Radnor wrote and directed this comedy, which won the Best Drama Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

    My Thoughts: "First off, I would just like to say I absolutely loved this movie. It is a great little love story. I am usually not one to fond over such story lines, (considering I am not one who usually likes romance flicks because they are so ridiculously unreal) but I did quite enjoy this one. More so because the people in the film felt completely real. I feel like I know these people and that's probably because one or all of us either are like one of these character's or have friends like them. What girl doesn't want a "Sam #2"?! He won me over. At first I thought it was a little weird, as did Annie, that he was a bit of a fifth floor stalker snapping pictures. But in the end he won me over with how genuine and kind he was. Annie is like most of us girls. She has had her share of... lets call them unworthy candidates. So when someone like 'Sam #2', comes along it can be scary. A girl gets use to a certain type of guy who treats her a certain way that its hard to believe they deserve or I should say, can have, someone like 'Sam #2'. I loved her story the most. Sam and Rasheen's bond they managed to create in that one or two weeks was quite touching. Part of me wanted him to keep him, the other knew it wasn't best. Sam had some growing up to do. He's in no way ready to take care of a little boy when he still needed to learn how to take care of himself. Mary-Catherine and her boyfriend had the ideal relationship. The kind where it is at that stage where your each other's best friend and everything to one another. Then one wants something the other doesn't so their torn thinking the other wants out. But then something important happens that will either bring them back together even more closer then they were before, or it will separate them even further apart. The stories are very different but about the same thing. Love. By the end I was saying thank you, more please."
  • aliceinpunderland
    July 29, 2011
    aliceinpunderland
    Bravo Josh Radnor. BRA-VO. I love him as Ted on HIMYM (and I also happen to love the character of Ted, unlike haters who prefer Barney as their man of the half-hour), and now, I really dig Radnor as a writer.

    In my opinion, happythankyoumoreplease didn't have a lot goi... read moreng for it. Its clunky-ass title aside, a quirky independent romantic dramedy about six 20-30 somethings in New York City? So played out. In spite of that title though, Radnor has written a pretty mellow script that doesn't smack of an agenda. The inciting incident of Sam taking in Rasheen, a lost African-American boy, isn't about white liberal guilt like in The Blind Side. They just become friends. Sam fosters Rasheen more out of selfish reasons than altruistic ones: he enjoys being looked up to, he enjoys fucking up his own life.

    The movie's also not THAT quirky, in comparison to Garden State or Juno, both of which I do love. I think Radnor's going for realism here, and I think he succeeds. The few quirks that happen - Sam and Mississippi's three-night-stand or Annie's Alopecia Awareness Party - are tempered with subtle regret (in re the former) and forced gaiety (in re the latter).

    The intertwining stories are also not THAT intertwining, in comparison to Love Actually or *gag* Valentine's Day. There's no huge payoff - oh this person knows this person and oh that person is that person's long-lost half-second-cousin-twice-removed. It's just some people - some are friends, some are lovers, some are strangers, some are children of parents' best friends so they call each other "cousins" (but that's established early on in the movie) - and it's just some stories. The theme of gratitude isn't entirely evinced in ALL the stories, and I can see how that can be a criticism, but honestly, I'm glad it didn't smack me in the face.

    I love the veiled Woody Allen observation that Mary Catherine makes, "Why one movie a year? Why not one every other year?" because I LITERALLY heard someone say those EXACT words the other day, which goes to prove, every movie I'm seeing right now is about me. I wonder if non-Woody Allen fans won't get the reference or if they do, find it pretentious. I think it still works though cuz A) Woody's name isn't mentioned, so those who get it will chuckle and those who don't will just let it go, and 2) That line and other pro-NYC/anti-LA litanies are delivered by Zoe Kazan, who has kinduva shrill voice and kiddish demeanor. A character can be whiney and pretentious; a movie catered to a general audience shouldn't be.

    As for Josh Radnor's acting, it's plenty serviceable. People complain that he's just playing Ted. Well, so what? It goes with the role. Wait for him to uglify himself and play a murderous transvestite prostitute. Then people will respect him. Anyway, he does provide subtle changes. Sam is a little edgier than Ted - definitely more cynical and pushy (in regard to the boudoir...). Radnor brings just the right amount of sleaze. The other supporting actors/characters are quite delightful too, especially Tony "Buster Bluth" Hale as Sam #2. He really does become quite a stud.

    Can I also say how much I love Kate Mara? I was hoping she'd get the role of Lisbeth Salander instead of her sister, but oh well. She has such an interesting mouth; she's got a Joker-esque grin. Her rendition of Kander and Ebb's "Happy Song" is wonderful as well. Her cabaret-style soprano is reminiscent of Katie Holmes'...but better. The happy montage underscoring her song and the cut-to-black is also a sweet, subtle close.

    The only change I would make to the end is that instead of cut-to-black, I want Sam to go up to Mississippi and earnestly say, "You looked very pretty" (like Rasheen suggested earlier), then fade-to-black.
  • mrbungle7821
    July 16, 2011
    mrbungle7821
    Josh Radnor's (How I Met Your Mother) writing/directing debut reads like a heavy order of sitcom plots rolled into one tight space. There's enough New York navel-gazing to fill up a spate of twee indie films. There's Sam (Radnor), a struggling writer prone to relationship problem... read mores, having a three-night stand with Mississippi (Kate Mara), a waitress/cabaret singer. There's Sam's cousin, Mary (Zoe Kazan), is being pressured to move to L.A. by her boyfriend (Pablo Schrieber). Sam's best friend Annie (Malin Akerman) suffers from dating the wrong kind of guys. She also suffers from alopecia, which makes her hairless (doesn't sound like a deal-breaker to me). She's being pursued by a suitor, Sam #2 (Tony Hale), a good man who acknowledges he's not exactly a lady's first image when it comes to Mr. Right. If this wasn't enough plot to fight over for 100 minutes, Sam becomes an unlikely caretaker to a young child, Rasheen (Michael Algeri), left behind on a subway. The kid refuses to go back to foster care so he just sort of becomes Sam's pet. Actually, the child is a plot device to facilitate Sam's maturity and personal growth, which is why he all but disappears in the film's second half dominated by romantic drama. Radnor is a relaxed presence onscreen. As a director, he knows a thing or two about pleasing shot compositions. As a writer, he has a good feel for droll observation ("Don't make me run, kid, I'm almost thirty," had me ruefully chuckling). As with most ensemble movies, some storylines are stronger than others; the Annie/Sam #2 stuff could have been its own movie. Both actors, Hale especially, are winning. Mara is sexy and a star in the making. The Mary stuff would have been better left alone. Kazan's performance is somewhat irritating, and my interest sunk every time her face came onscreen. And yet, the film is carried by a sweetness that doesn't tilt into saccharine. Given some of the sitcom-level setups, this could have spilled into eye-rolling cuteness (a girl named after the poorest state in the nation!). It's romantic in a somewhat cheesy way but that's part of its charm. It's nothing groundbreaking, but happythankyoumoreplease rolls agreeably along thanks to being earnest, but not too earnest, and witty without being overly whimsical.

    Nate's Grade: B-
  • CreedsDelight
    July 4, 2011
    CreedsDelight
    Sam: Can we stop running dude? I'm almost 30.

    This film is a sharp comedy centered on a group of 20-something New Yorkers struggling to figure out themselves, their lives and their loves. What a cute movie packed with great performances and a great directorial debut from How I ... read moreMet Your Mother's Josh Radnor. Critics didn't agree with me on this one but happythankyoumoreplease is a good film that is quirky and avoids the usual cliches of romantic comedies while still maintaining a story of it's own. If you're looking for something new and different or if you are an Indie junkie like me, then happythankyoumoreplease is the film for you that will leave you saying "moreplease" once the film is over. I can't help but mention How I Met Your Mother in this, so I wanted to point out that Josh Radnor loves New York.

    Read the full review at www.CreedsDelight.com
  • lewiskendell
    June 30, 2011
    lewiskendell
    There have been tons of indie, ensemble movies set in New York over the years, so HappyThankYouMorePlease isn't exactly as unique as its title. It is a better movie than many of its kind, though, with a great cast and a trio of connected stories that all manage to be interesting ... read morein their own ways. Recommended.
  • TomBowler
    April 19, 2011
    TomBowler
    It's difficult to write a review of Happythankyoumoreplease without talking about How I Met Your Mother. I'll try my hardest but it's going to be an uphill battle. This is the debut attempt at feature filmmaking for How I Met Your Mother star (see, I told you) Josh Radnor. In fac... read moret, apart from an appearance in Not Another Teen Movie (which we shall never mention again), he has mostly been confined to TV shows. So it's a pretty huge jump out of a comfort zone to be writing, directing and starring in your own debut film. This jump-into-the-deep-end plan could have easily turned out very badly for the newbie, but instead Radnor showcases a keen eye for directing, a great flair for writing and, most importantly, an impressive performance as leading man Sam Wexler.

    When Sam is running late for a business meeting and notices a kid get separated from his family, he tries to help out. A good intention turns into a big complication, however, when the kid doesn't want to leave. At the same time, Sam's friend Annie is plagued by both alopecia and a guy at work who just won't leave her alone. Couple Charlie and Mary Catherine are experiencing some relationship problems and, to top it all off, Sam's affections are taken by cabaret singer Mississippi. Yes, that's her name.

    This conglomerate of drama could easily be turned into a complete and utter mess with the wrong script, the wrong director, the wrong actor. Which makes it even tougher when they're all the same guy. Garden State, Zach Braff's debut of the same nature, was a good deal less complicated in terms of storyline and uncluttered in terms of character. And it worked. Braff's main character, Andrew, was the main source of character development for the piece, despite the characters created around him. And it worked. Here, however, Radnor has the difficult task of my not one but five complete characters, each of which needs backstory, nuance and life. And I don't know where he found the time or the talent, but gosh darn it if he hasn't gone and done that very thing. That's not to say this film isn't without its flaws, no sir. But for a big ol' slice of indie heart, this is all you could want and more.

    Radnor's performance is just one of the great performances you can find here. Kate Mara's Mississippi (once again, yes that's her name) is bold, likeable and beautifully textured with a great chemistry between her and Radnor. Her fragility is beautifully displayed too, without painting her as the injured weakling which so many fiilms can condescend to assume about their female characters. Instead, she gives her character a quite strength which isn't blatant to begin with but manifests itself throughout. Malin Akerman's Annie is slightly less convincing. While she shows all the external dedication of being consumed by a role, going bald for her alopecia suffering character, she isn't as convincing as many of the rest of the cast are. She has her moments, however, the foremost of which being her excruciating dinner with Sam #2 as she tries to break-up without ruining her makeup, but if you want to see her acting highlights as yet, check out Watchmen. Not so for Tony Hale. Fans of Arrested Development, as I've already professed myself to be, will remember him best for his part momma's boy part mental patient performance as Buster Bluth. He's also starred alongside Matt Damon in The Informant but this is his best performance to date. Intricate and nuanced, his screen time shouldn't allow for the amount of reality and humanity he pours into his character, but he manages to come off as the most real of the bunch. Buster the actor. Who knew? Zoe Kazan's Mary Catherine is delightfully fiery and unpredictable as well as having the capacity for heartbreak and panic in later scenes. Her onscreen partner Pablo Schreiber doesn't fare as well, though he makes the most of some of his more comedic moments. But he is outstripped consistently through the emotional scenes by Kazan who shows an effortless realism throughout. And then there's our leading man. It might be difficult to shrug that onscreen persona from other work when working on a new character (as hundreds of child actors can testify) but Josh Radnor doesn't seem to notice as he inhabits his newest character. The temptation may have been to craft a character as different as possible from Ted Mosby, but Sam has welcome touches of the How I Met Your Mother (sorry) lead while being a completely different person altogether. He's much more of an asshole than Ted is pretty much what I'm trying to say, and Radnor plays on this perfectly, understanding that we don't always have to like our main character all the time. He doesn't overplay his part at all, showing a well-crafted restraint which makes his more emotional scenes that much more believable and hard hitting.

    Radnor's script is great as well. Though there is the occassional line that falls flat or doesn't quite hit home, for the most part it's a beautiful blend of humour and emotion. Radnor showcases a great talent for understanding character as well, making his main characters well rounded people rather than stereotypes. Even Rasheen, the kid, who could have easily become an object rather than an actual person, has a backstory and real character. The communication between Sam and Mississippi (stop laughing) is well-crafted, though occassionally feeling contrived. The strength of the acting helps to cover this up, however, and their relationship is as real as onscreen can get. The script's major flaw is its message, more specifically the fact that it tries to have one. The 'thank you more please' hocus pocus is the film's major downfall, but if you can overlook it then you've got yourself one hell of an indie drama.

    The direction is, for the most part, fantastic. Occassionally shots become too space invading and uncomfortable to watch, but Radnor makes inventive use of the sometimes cramped conditions. It looks a lot like an indie film which means a conspicuous lack of Hollywood glitz and glamour, but many of the scenes look amazing, especially with the depth of field used, reminiscent of The Social Network.

    If this film is any indication of his future work, I for one can't wait to see what Josh Radnor's next project is. His gift for writing and acting make him the sort of multi-talented bastard we can all hate to love.

    Defining Scene:
    Sam #2 and Annie's second date.

    Quotes:
    I went out last night trying to fuck up my life and it worked.

    I sing.
    Songs?
    Yeah. Songs. What do you do?
    I write.
    Words?

    Can we stop running dude, I'm almost 30.

    Can I have a cookie?
    It's a party dude, you can have like ten cookies.
  • shortcartoonist
    March 19, 2011
    shortcartoonist
    Josh Radnor loves New York City. He loves the cityscape, the occupants, and the stories in the relationships inside this large bubble. His love for this city is gushing, and as the muse to the story - he and his characters feel it is unique. Yet there remains a levelness to his f... read moreilm to give these opinions a certain truth. He may love his setting, but never pushes it with beauty or gloss. There's a lot to admire in this, and a lot to admire to the passion in this film.

    [Full review pending]

View All HappyThankYouMorePlease Reviews

Critic Reviews

Stephen Holden
May 14, 2011
Stephen Holden, New York Times

Sam and Rasheen's icky pas de deux is coarsely shoehorned into a movie that juggles three tepid romantic mini-dramas. Full Review

Wesley Morris
March 31, 2011
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

It's sluggish and trite and irrelevant in a way that suggests that the TV soundstage is a kind of hothouse that Radnor doesn't leave often enough. Full Review

Roger Moore
March 23, 2011
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Let's hope "The New Zach Braff" learns from the original Zach Braff to strike while the iron is hot and not dither away his potential waiting for that perfect "next project" to come along. Full Review

Carrie Rickey
March 17, 2011
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer

A case of when bad scripts happen to good actors. Given its similarities to a bygone sitcom, one might call it Friends without benefits. Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
March 16, 2011
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

There is a sweetness to Radnor's character and to his film. What there is not is a sense of urgency, of a desire to find out what happens next. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
March 10, 2011
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

It's an observant and heartfelt film, with turns of dialogue that show that writer-director Josh Radnor really can write. Full Review

Richard Roeper
March 9, 2011
Richard Roeper, Richard Roeper.com

Kate Mara gives a breakout performance. She should be a star. Full Review

Peter Rainer
March 5, 2011
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

As if this weren't enough baggage for one movie, especially an indie movie, Radnor front-loads the proceedings with further complications. Full Review

Andrew O'Hehir
March 4, 2011
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com

Radnor offers an entertaining and not especially self-indulgent ensemble comedy about young love in the big city that spotlights an appealing cast of youthful fringe-of-Hollywood talent. Full Review

Kyle Smith
March 4, 2011
Kyle Smith, New York Post

This unbearably cutesy and hackneyed movie is a vanity piece starring, and written and directed by, mild sitcom presence Josh Radnor. Full Review

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    • Mary-Catherine: You can't just keep him. He's not a goldfish!
    • Annie: Sadness be gone, let's be people who deserve to be loved, who are worthy, cause we are worthy.
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