Click to read the article
Happy Accidents (2001)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:60
Fresh:43
Rotten:17
Average Rating:6.3/10
Consensus: Happy Accidents has enough quirkiness and charm to rise above the more formulaic entries in the romantic comedy genre.
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: Marisa Tomei stars as Ruby, a compulsive co-dependent in search of true love in this idiosyncratic romantic comedy by Brad Anderson (NEXT STOP WONDERLAND). When Ruby meets Sam (Vincent D'Onofrio),... Marisa Tomei stars as Ruby, a compulsive co-dependent in search of true love in this idiosyncratic romantic comedy by Brad Anderson (NEXT STOP WONDERLAND). When Ruby meets Sam (Vincent D'Onofrio), a quirky hospice nurse, she thinks he's another freaky weirdo like all the other guys she's dated. But as she gets to know him better, his funny little mannerisms start to grow on her. So they move in together and romantic bliss ensues. Gradually, Ruby finds a couple of mysterious clues hidden in their apartment that reveal Sam might not be who he claims to be. When Ruby confronts him, he tells her he traveled back from the future to meet her because he fell in love with a photograph he found of her in a curio shop. Ruby thinks his story is some kind of kinky fantasy that he's using to spice up their sex life, but when strange coincidences begin to make his story seem true, she wonders. If Sam is telling the truth, he may change her life forever, but if he's lying, then what? Anthony Michael Hall makes a hilarious cameo appearance in one of the funniest scenes in the movie. [More]
Starring: Marisa Tomei, Vincent D'Onofrio, Nadia Dajani, Holland Taylor
Starring: Marisa Tomei, Vincent D'Onofrio, Nadia Dajani, Holland Taylor, Tovah Feldshuh, Sean Gullette, Anthony Michael Hall
Director: Brad Anderson
Director: Brad Anderson
Screenwriter: Brad Anderson
Producer: Susan A. Stover
Composer: Evan Lurie
Studio: IFC Films
Reviews for Happy Accidents
a film of many virtues, but...it gets stuck in a tediously repetitive cycle
Conveying a certain amount of charm is key, and there is little in the schlubby presence of Vincent D'Onofrio.
While...it has a certain gangly charm, it's just too frail and wispy to go the distance.
Miscast performers do not help a story which is repetitive enough to outlast its 110 minutes' time.
Happy Accidents is about as unconventional a romantic comedy as you're likely to find - the only problem is that the lackluster science fiction elements keep getting in the way.
Anderson would have done better had he made the film more disturbing than cutesy.
Tomei jars the senses as she tries to squeeze her edginess and sculpted muscles into a role better suited for someone blonder, cuter, more comically vulnerable.
Anderson ... resorts to all sorts of directorial tricks to sustain this shaky premise.
The actors make a good team in this film, and they're playing well-defined characters, but the script is so repetitive that we get mighty impatient for the mystery to be resolved.
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Happy Accidents at Rotten Tomatoes
- Happy Accidents at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.





