You won’t commonly find the genres “romantic comedy” and “sci-fi” in one film, but when you do, the result is often spectacular. Happy Accidents is one example. The film is an indie, so everything takes place in one city - we only hear about the alternate universe that our leading man Sam is from. But the script is so airtight, and the performances so convincing, you never question the veracity of it. Above all else, Happy Accidents is about trust: trust in your partner, the future you build, a bigger world, and the possibility of change. Those sound like big vague ideas, but Tomei and D'Onofrio make every inch of them feel real.
Synopsis
A comedy that pays tribute to the science fiction genre -- specifically, the sub-genre of time travel. But here the alternate reality is contemporary New York City where past and future experiences of trust, commitment and denial are cleverly put to the test. Just as Ruby is beginning to relish her first-ever healthy relationship, Sam begins muttering about being a time traveler from the year 2470.
Storyline
Just as Ruby (Marisa Tomei) thinks she’s finally dating someone normal, her boyfriend Sam (Vincent D'Onofrio) makes a startling confession: he is from the future. Ruby pursues the truth as Sam’s stories become increasingly complex.
TLDR
It’s like Somewhere in Time meets Back to the Future.
What stands out
That ending scene. How it culminates into that one moment, where everything finally makes sense? Absolutely worth it.
