A weird thing about Happy Endings is that almost everyone’s face is hidden, including the creators of this documentary. And when you go to the Happy Endings website and view Hurley's photo, her eyes are covered with a black rectangle so that she can’t be recognized. Why all the mystery? Is an Asian gang or mafia running the parlors? Now, that would be an interesting subject for a documentary. And I know that with very little effort, I could locate Hurley, Marcoux, and the people in this documentary. And if I can do it, I know the Asian gangs or mafia could too. So, what’s the reason for hiding almost everyone’s face?
One person in the documentary referred to prostitution as the oldest profession. And because that’s somewhat true, Happy Endings isn’t revealing anything new about prostitution or covering this subject in an unusual or unique way. I’m sure that the residents of Rhode Island found this documentary interesting, but I just don’t think it’s interesting enough to attract a nationwide audience.
It’s obvious to me that the filmmakers have a passion for making documentaries. Their hearts and souls are on display in this documentary. But they need some honest feedback, formal training, and a more critical view of their own creation. I hope that they continue to make documentaries and wish them the best.
Article comments
1 - Jason
I saw this film six months ago, so my memory's not so fresh. But I remember I only stayed in the theater because a friend invited me to watch it.
It bored the hell out of me. 30 minutes could easily have been edited out, as the camera frequently allowed the subjects to ramble too long. It's nice that Hurley allows the women to speak of their hardships and how they feel about their jobs, that they're not hurting anybody, etc. But that's as deep as it gets. There's very little detailed debate about how decriminalizing prostitution could be beneficial for women- "these women aren't hurting anybody" is as deep as it gets. You know, I think pot should be legal, but if I want to sway somebody's opinion I will not merely say "It's my body, I can smoke what I want!". I would engage discussion on the prison overcrowding, dangers of creating a black market, stigma, etc.
Yes, there's a sad double standard in that the women are more harshly punished than the male customers. But simply pointing that out isn't exactly revolutionary. If Tara Hurley returns to the subject of prostitution in the future, hopefully the results will be better as I think this is an important issue.