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Happy Anniversary (2024)

Writer's picture: Kyle BainKyle Bain

-Written by Kyle Bain.


Serena (Darina Eid) and Aaron (Orlando Cintron Jr.) have rented a house to celebrate their anniversary. However, when they arrive, the suspicious homeowner, Brian (Dan Berkey), lurks around the house and invades their privacy. As the young couple simply tries to enjoy a Happy Anniversary, the world around them begins to converge, smothering them. Is their love enough to save them, or is it simply too late?


Writer-Director Stephanie Ruiz takes viewers on a journey into the woods, on a typical weekend getaway. Though, viewers are smart, and we’re aware that not everything is copacetic. We don’t know what is going to happen, or when—but the tone of the film is developed quickly, preparing us for what is to come later on. 


There’s a moment in the middle of the film, however, that feels out of character, out of place in the grand scheme of the film. Happy Anniversary is often tense, playing with ideas of horror. As the film plays out, nearly the entire film is intense and sees the couple struggling in a number of ways. However, at just about the halfway point, as the couple prepares to get in the hot tub at their rental house, Serena is given a moment by herself where she dresses in a sexy bikini, the scene is slowed down, and it is simply meant to showcase how attractive she is. Separate from the rest of the film, this scene works. If, in fact, Ruiz’s only goal here was to make Eid look attractive, then she achieves that easily. But, again, it doesn’t work well with the rest of the film, and there’s a severe break in its intensity at this moment. It does steal from the film to a degree, and it almost feels like the development of the narrative has to start from scratch all over again. 


I’m trying to wrap my head around the twist toward the end of the film. lm, trying to understand why Ruiz went the direction that she did and if Happy Anniversary builds up to this point effectively. We all knew that something was coming, and the fact that there was a big reveal at the end isn’t what shocked me, but it was the twist itself that threw me for a loop. Are we accurately prepared for this? Are the characters developed in a way that this feels believable? It took me a minute or two to realize it, but I think Ruiz does a great job in this regard. Happy Anniversary truly works in this regard. Again, it did take a minute or two for me to wrap my head around what I saw, to make sense of the shift in the narrative, but when I was able to, it all made sense–it all worked for me. 


Happy Anniversary is a short, succinct telling of a romantic getaway with your typical, horror twist. However, the direction that the narrative eventually heads is not at all what I expected. I am impressed with what Ruiz and the trio of talents bring to life in this film. It works (for the most part), and I found myself engaged from start to finish. 


Written & Directed by Stephanie Ruiz. 


Starring Darina Eid, Orlando Cintron Jr., & Dan Berkey. 


8.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING


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