While Hector may well find some happiness, audiences will take a bit longer to find some elation with Simon Pegg’s latest movie, Hector And ...
While Hector may well find some happiness, audiences will take a bit longer to find some elation with Simon Pegg’s latest movie, Hector And The Search For Happiness. Anybody that has sat in a psychiatrists office will know that the problem at hand is rarely solved with one session. Instead, it takes multiple sessions before a breakthrough is made. In comparison, audiences won’t have to buy multiple tickets for this, but they will have to give it some time to sink in.
If you need a wham, bang, thank you mam kind of movie, this really isn’t it. Like a real psychiatrist, this movie takes its time to move the story forward. And while it does keep moving, it does so at it’s own pace, which is quite laborious in places. One could make the argument that director Peter Chelsom has done good here, and created a movie that is quite similar to the profession it takes it’s influence in. Slow and tedious but one that does offer results…eventually.
Simon Pegg stars as Hector, a psychiatrist who decides to go on a global jaunt trying to find actual happiness. True happiness. Something, that deep down he yearns to find from his impeccable daily routine which revolves around work and his girlfriend (Rosamund Pike). His trip sees him go from China to Africa and eventually ending up in Los Angeles.
Each of these locations offer up something quite different each time, from partying with a rather wonderful Stellan Skarsgard in China to getting kidnapped in Africa as well as a predictable trip around LA. While there is enough variety and contrast on display in these locations, they feel a little bit dragged out, and with a 2 hour running time, these extended scenes don’t really provide too much value. It would be quite easy to shave off 15 minutes here and have a far better experience. However, the visuals that are on display are rather beautiful and are complimented wonderfully by some nice little visual effects touches and some great animated sequences.
While much of the cast don’t do much to break a sweat, Simon Pegg flexes that old acting muscle once he gets to Africa. Here, he genuinely fears for his life and serves up an emotional performance in places that at times feels too good for the actual movie. As the movie starts to head toward it’s slightly predictable finale, time and time again, Pegg ramps things up and is incredibly convincing, but don’t expect too much in the comedy stakes. Toni Collette, Jean Reno and Christopher Plummer, while as mentioned don’t start sweating, are adequate with Plummer being the standout of the three.
This is a movie that takes time to leave an impression on it’s audience and does have the power to get you thinking about your own happiness. However, it does so in a way that is quite laborious in places and it’s almost lethargic pacing at times will leave many people wondering why the paid for a ticket in the first place. That said, give it a chance as it eventually arrives with some feel good vibes and Pegg is superb, although this is probably far more suited for the small screen than a big one.
