The Happiest Place on Earth

John Goshorn's feature film debut as a director manages to do something that even the most established directors shoot for, it puts a human (and tragic) face on the country's recent economic downturn. In less capable hands this morality tale might be too preachy, or overwrought, but we never find ourselves scolded by the film. Maggie and Jonah want take part in the American dream. They want to own a house. And so they buy a house, but for them, like for so many others that house becomes a noose around their necks when Jonah looses his job at the newspaper. Seeing no other options Jonah makes the ultimate sacrifice to help provide for Maggie. Jennifer Faith Ward and Tom Kemnitz Jr as Maggie and Jonah respectively are incredibly engaging and breathe life into their characters in way that reminds us of early Cassavetes. In fact, that filmmaker is the one that seems to have been this production's patron saint. Goshorn seems completely willing to enclose us in the claustrophobia of realism no matter how uncomfortable or horrific it may be for Maggie and Jonah, or for us.