1/1/2021
An imposter joins a support group for unusual-looking people in Alexandre Franchi s drama.
An advocacy drama that doesn t forget it needs to tell an interesting story in order to win viewers over, Alexandre Franchi s
Happy Face sometimes risks going too far in its tale of a support group for disfigured people: Though Franchi and cowriter Joelle Bourjolly have thought their metaphors through, they might have picked, say, either Cervantes
or
Dungeons & Dragons as a window into the trials of those who feel like monsters. The occasional screenwriting surplus aside, this modest production largely succeeds, making the most of performers some established actors, some first-timers who come as they are: Instead of FX makeup, they wear the real results of disease, birth defects and violent mishaps; if we re surprised by their ease in front of the camera, it s likely because we ve spent our lives averting our gaze from people like them. Imperfect but affecting, the pic lea