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Happy Face Murders

  • TV Movie
  • 1999
  • R
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
409
YOUR RATING
Ann-Margret, Marg Helgenberger, and Henry Thomas in Happy Face Murders (1999)
CrimeDrama

An eccentric older woman (Ann-Margret) implicates her brutal & controlling lover in the murder of a young intellectually disabled girl. Absorbed with "Murder She Wrote" and "Matlock", she cr... Read allAn eccentric older woman (Ann-Margret) implicates her brutal & controlling lover in the murder of a young intellectually disabled girl. Absorbed with "Murder She Wrote" and "Matlock", she creates details of the murder from clues she picks up from the detectives (Marg Helgenberger... Read allAn eccentric older woman (Ann-Margret) implicates her brutal & controlling lover in the murder of a young intellectually disabled girl. Absorbed with "Murder She Wrote" and "Matlock", she creates details of the murder from clues she picks up from the detectives (Marg Helgenberger, Henry Thomas) on the case. Implicating herself and sentenced to jail, she then recants h... Read all

  • Director
    • Brian Trenchard-Smith
  • Writer
    • John Pielmeier
  • Stars
    • Ann-Margret
    • Marg Helgenberger
    • Henry Thomas
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    5.7/10
    409
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Brian Trenchard-Smith
    • Writer
      • John Pielmeier
    • Stars
      • Ann-Margret
      • Marg Helgenberger
      • Henry Thomas
    • 13User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Photos3

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    Top cast36

    Edit
    Ann-Margret
    Ann-Margret
    • Lorraine Petrovich
    Marg Helgenberger
    Marg Helgenberger
    • Jen Powell
    Henry Thomas
    Henry Thomas
    • Dylan McCarthy
    Nicholas Campbell
    Nicholas Campbell
    • Rusty Zuvic
    Rick Peters
    Rick Peters
    • Billy Lee Peterson
    David McIlwraith
    David McIlwraith
    • Alan Sanford
    Bruce Gray
    Bruce Gray
    • Ephraim Quince
    J.C. MacKenzie
    J.C. MacKenzie
    • Ed Baker
    Emily Hampshire
    Emily Hampshire
    • Tracy Billings
    Christina Collins
    • Nancy Severn
    Sean Dick
    • Charlie Severn
    • (as Sean Calvin Dick)
    Lynne Deragon
    • Virginia Billings
    Tami Levitt
    • TJ's Bartender
    Raoul Bhaneja
    Raoul Bhaneja
    • Dr. Mike Strong
    Katya Gardner
    Katya Gardner
    • Rachel
    James Downing
    • Jake
    Carole Mackereth
    • Laura
    Sarain Boylan
    Sarain Boylan
    • Jill Watkins
    • Director
      • Brian Trenchard-Smith
    • Writer
      • John Pielmeier
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews13

    5.7409
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    10

    Featured reviews

    6Tinyhippy

    amusing thriller/black comedy

    I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It had my full attention throughout, which is sometimes difficult for a film to do. There were no dull parts, and it got more and more amusing as it went on! I'm not sure which category this film comes under. It is a thriller, but also a comedy, and a murder mystery. Either way, it was a good film.

    The lovely Henry Thomas made a great appearance, although his character didn't seem necessary, he was good to watch as always. The little comedic moments between him and the character Jen were wonderful to watch. I would give this film a 7. Sure, it's not the best movie ever made, but it kept my attention, and that's got to be a good thing.
    4michaelRokeefe

    How easily the web is woven. Twisted and murderous.

    This crime tale is weird, suspenseful and filtered with off beat humor. Situational drama does little to help this well acted, but trying story line. The hardest part of watching is seeing Ann-Margret as an enabling granny that tells one lie on top of another.

    Marg Helgenberger is the movies brightest spot. Nicholas Campbell is on the edge and totally believable. Henry Thomas seems to have phoned his part in from a phone booth, sorry.

    A quirky little murder mystery that features brutal truth. Give it a shot.
    Ann-MargretGrL

    Always INCREDIBLE A-M!

    I got this movie because it stars my idol, Ann-Margret, and yet again, she totally and completely blew me away with her performance!!!! It's so hard to picture her as this frumpy little old lady, and ya know what...she REALLY pulls it off well! She has a blast with the role, that's obvious:) And who doesn't love hearing her cry "Sonny boy!" at every guy she meets! She's FABULOUS! Everyone did a great job in this one, and the story was very appealing and instantly had me glued. There's one thing though that they just couldn't conceal... and that's the beauty of A-M:) Even with the padding, grey wig, and whited out eyelashes, she's still the one and ONLY kitten With a Whip! She's gorgeous, inside and out:) KILLER MOVIE! I reccomend this to everyone!!
    rrauwl

    A 'strange but true' award winner.

    Without a doubt one of the most interesting movies that I've seen in a while that claimed to be mostly true. It claimed, in fact, that the parts that they made up are the ones that you would believe at the drop of a hat. It's the TRUTH that leaves your head shaking and your jaw wide open.

    The movie is funny, strange, and a little chilling; with decent acting to boot. If you have some time to kill, catch this on re-run.
    8the_brush

    Marg rocks!

    this movie was on TV here last night and I only watched it because I'm a huge fan of CSI & Marg Helgenberger and I had never seen it before. this movie is no masterpiece, but i thought it was hilarious. yes, some of the humor is cliché' and when you're watching it it's like, oh my god this is so lame, but i still liked it. Jen's comment to the "doc" about getting a jigsaw puzzle from Goodwill or whatever and finding it's missing a few pieces and how it was like the case they were working on was the best line of the whole movie. Ann Margaret, whom I also like, was just fabulous, that her character annoyed the #$&@ out of me but then by the end I felt sorry for her. Her hair, is another story. If you're a MH or AM fan, totally watch this movie. Otherwise you'll probably be better off watching something else :)

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    Related interests

    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
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    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Crazy credits
      Most of what you are about to see is true. The stuff that isn't true is the stuff that's most believable. Go figure.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Frog Dreaming: Extended Interviews from 'Not Quite Hollywood' (2018)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 5, 1999 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El asesino de la cara feliz
    • Filming locations
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Cosgrove/Meurer Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 38m(98 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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