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One of my favorite films from last year was Drinking Buddies, which proved director and screenwriter Joe Swanberg's talent to transcend the "mumblecore" genre through a realistic and universal story which reached levels of emotional honesty we rarely find in dramas of a higher profile. His most recent film, Happy Christmas, is another "slice of life" which is simple on its shape but complex on its depth, thanks to the mutable dynamics between the main characters and the brilliant performances which reach that magic balance between improvisation and structure that immediately captures us into their experiences, and gradually invites us to discover the deepness hidden by their frivolous lives. Swanberg establishes tense and filled with emotion situations which he abandons before reaching the "dramatic climax" which seemed unavoidable. As a consequence, the scene provokes the desired impact, and at the same time, keeps a subtleness and spontaneity which might have been sacrificed in a more conventional film, where the climax of the scene is considered an end in itself, instead of working as one more step in the evolution of the characters. That's a risky strategy which couldn't be faced by any actor, but fortunately, Anna Kendrick, Lena Dunham and the great Melanie Lynskey make a perfect work, and they bring weight to those prosaic moments which should be irrelevant, but which end up revealing themselves as keys in their characters' humanity. On the negative side, Happy Christmas didn't leave me totally satisfied, and I liked it much less than Drinking Buddies. As I said, Swanberg's strategy is omitting stuff, but sometimes, he omits too much, including a concrete and cathartic ending which would have validated all the family tension we had been witnessing. The ambiguity of a sudden ending can work when it comes at the appropriate time; but in the case of Happy Christmas, it feels like an arbitrary interruption; an escape, instead of a planned resolution. I'm not asking for a "big gesture" or a forced happy ending to close the movie, but I definitely feel that Swanberg could have found a better moment to abandon the characters, without leaving us the impression that the memory card of the digital camera was filled and he said: "Well, let's leave it there. Good job, team!". That ending left me with quite a bitter taste, and it's the main reason why I wasn't left completely satisfied by this film. Nevertheless, that doesn't remove the movie's pros, and I can give it a moderate recommendation mainly because of its sober narrative and excellent performances. However, I think Drinking Buddies is a much better option than Happy Christmas; it also ends abruptly, but at least we know where the characters are heading, and that information is enough for us to tie the loose ends and to feel satisfied.

It's terrific to see filmmakers evolve in front of your eyes, especially as you see their filmmaking abilities and keen sense of moments expand from movie to movie. In Joe Swanberg's Happy Christmas starring Academy Award nominee Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Lena Dunham, as well as himself, he manages to capture the feel of the early 90′s independent cinema culture that felt so mature and darkly magnetic. In this dramatic comedy that tells the story of Jenny (Kendrick), a 20-something who moves in with her brother and sister-in-law in Chicago.

It's interesting how Swanberg manages to capture the moments of life within in the picture. For example, little things like watching a 2- year-old sit in a bathtub or shove a fist full of Cheerios in his mouth feels magically authentic. Even in the way the adults interact with each other feels strangely familiar.

Anna Kendrick continues to test her boundaries as an actress. Whether it's playing the punk-rock DJ in Pitch Perfect, or the manic, irresponsible adult that she exudes here, I'm excited to see her evolve the way she is. In ten years time, she could be one of our most innovative and gifted actresses. Her Jenny feels edgy and risky like driving on the edge of cliff. You know there's a safer place to be but you want to get on the ride with her. There are bits to her performance that is reminiscent of Maggie Gyllenhaal in Sherrybaby, minus the full- out bravura turn that should have scored multiple accolades. This is a nice mark for her resume nonetheless.

Melanie Lynskey, the reliable actress who continues to one of Hollywood's best kept secrets for over twenty years, is completely compelling as Kelly. The truth in which she exists in the film is hypnotizing and I wonder just how much longer we have to wait until she breaks out into every living room and theater across America, and I mean something outside of "Two and a Half Men."

Lena Dunham serves her purpose to the film however, if there's a chink in the armor of some of Swanberg's creations, Carson is likely it. This is by no means a home-run from Swanberg. While the authenticity and honest demeanor in which he portrays his characters are appreciated, they're not always engaging or interesting. There might have been some unrealized ideas or actions that could have brought this film over the finish line. There are plenty of laughs, sensational dialogue, and an intimate look into a very familiar family dynamic. It's moving and artistically relevant in films today.

Happy Christmas opens in limited release July 25 and is distributed by Magnolia Pictures. It is currently available on VOD.

This film is a Jungian metaphor for the banality of human existence, and our constant need to redefine our social roles in the world to justify our nature. We wear masks not to hide who we are, but to convince others that our behavior is okay. The breadwinning father submitting to his freeloading family. The hardworking housewife/mother owning her role so she doesn't have to face life as a failed writer. The irresponsible sister passing out at a party so no one will discover what a horrific babysitter she is. The babysitter who embraces his job simply because his actual (floundering) profession as a pot dealer is at odds with his other "profession" as a noise band leader. Perhaps he could justify his coexisting real jobs by continuing to sell pot and changing his musical aspirations to a Grateful Dead cover band, or continuing his noise-band venture, but selling meth instead. Perhaps most disturbing, is the two-year old, who displays superior intelligence to all of the other characters, but prefers to languish in barely sensible utterances and soiled diapers so he doesn't have to be responsible for the travesty of being the most entertaining character in this potpourri of retarded existentialism.

OK it's mumblecore. You knew that before you hit the pay button. What did you expect? There is no script. It is actors improvising trying to be natural and create real drama out of pure inspiration. It's an interesting idea at least, especially for actors I imagine. You are not going to get bloody Shakespeare are you. But what you do get is a real sense of being present in the lives of the people involved. I feel like I know Joe Swanberg, or the gorgeous wife, or Lena Dunham... but most of all, and praise be to Jesus, it's like I know Anna Kendrick. She gives a superb performance of a very funny dysfunctional character with some very funny scenes and for me it was worth it just to watch her. The baby is hilarious too. It's about as entertaining as watching a real family fight going on if you are just a spectator. But hey, sometimes that is a lot of fun.