“Nostalgia is not what it used to be.” —Agnes
Today’s quick review: Hector and the Search for Happiness. Dissatisfied with his orderly life, psychiatrist Hector (Simon Pegg) leaves his girlfriend Clara (Rosamund Pike) behind and embarks on a trip around the world to learn the meaning of happiness. During his travels to China, Africa, and the United States, Hector encounters people from all walks of life who help him confront his own fears and limitations.
Hector and the Search for Happiness is a dramatic comedy and romance about a psychiatrist trying to find happiness. Over the course of several weeks, Hector flies around the globe, makes friends with strangers, and takes stock of his relationship with Clara. The film features an upbeat story peppered with moments of crisis and tied together by Hector’s continuing search for what happiness really means.
Hector and the Search for Happiness handles its story with great tact. The surface layer of the story is blunt, a series of musings on the nature of happiness that are conveniently illustrated by incidents from Hector’s travels. But at the deeper level of characters and connections, the movie is magic. The surface musings provide cover for a cathartic emotional journey that delves into who Hector is and what he wants out of life.
Two aspects of the film help it sell its story. The first is its acting. Simon Pegg and Rosamund Pike deliver powerful performances as Hector and Clara, a loving couple who are trapped by their own routine. Both the moment-to-moment comedy of the film and its emotional moments are carried by their performances, and they are joined by a likable supporting cast that includes Stellan Skarsgard, Ming Zhao, Jean Reno, and Christopher Plummer.
The second aspect is stylistic flair. The film fleshes out Hector’s journey with dream sequences, flashbacks, snippets of animation, and doodles in Hector’s notebook, all of which contribute to a charming visual style. These flourishes serve the same purpose as the encounters that drive the plot: keeping the audience happy and engaged while the film quietly moves its pieces into place for the finale.
For all of its strengths, Hector and the Search for Happiness will be hit or miss. The entire film depends on Hector and his existential struggle, which cynical viewers will have a hard time connecting with. The quaint nature of his journey and his idealized encounters along the way will strike some viewers as artificial. And even a viewer who is on board with the premise may find the conflict contrived and the payoff flat.
With these risks in mind, Hector and the Search for Happiness is a feel-good adventure that resonates strongly on an emotional level. Fans of psychological exploration, philosophical musings, or even just Simon Pegg will want to give it a shot. Viewers who prefer more organic stories with grittier drama may want to steer clear.
For a fantasy-tinged adventure with a very similar tone, check out The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. For a more bittersweet dissection of an ordinary man’s life, try Stranger Than Fiction. For a romantically oriented dramatic comedy that deals with similar themes, try Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or 500 Days of Summer.
[7.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1626146/). I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for light humor and a rewarding emotional arc.