How Long Is “Happy, Happy”?

New neighbors become much closer friends than they expected in this comedy from director Anne Sewitsky. Kaja (Agnes Kittelsen) and Erik (Joachim Rafaelsen) are a not-very-happily married couple living in a small town in Norway. While pretty Kaja struggles to remain optimistic, she and Erik have little to say to one another and he's lost all interest in sex with her, preferring to go hunting with his buddies while their son Theodor (Oskar Hernaes Brandso) sulks. Sigve (Henrik Rafaelsen) and Elisabeth (Maibritt Saerens) are a couple from the city who've moved into the neighborhood with their adopted son Noa (Ram Shihab Ebedy); eager to socialize with more sophisticated people, Kaja welcomes them to town and finds Sigve is friendly and easy-going, though his wife seems bitter and emotionally cool. The two boys soon strike up a friendship, and when Kaja learns that Sigve is unhappy in his relationship with Elisabeth (who has been having an affair), she impulsively makes a pass at him, which he eagerly accepts. Soon the two couples have swapped mates and Kaja and Sigve couldn't be happier, though things aren't quite so comfortable for Erik and Elisabeth. Sykt Lykkelig (aka Happy Happy) was an official selection at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.