Not Another Happy Ending (2013)

Not Another Happy Ending (2013) - Writer Jane Lockhart (Karen Gillan, Doctor Who, Oculus) finally sells her first novel and signs a two-book deal with indie publisher Tom Duval (Stanley Webber, The Swimming Trunks), meets screenwriter Willie (Henry Ian Cusick, LOST) and becomes happy.  So happy, she can't finish her second book.  Tom decides to swoop in with the help of flatmate Roddy (Iain De Caestecker, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and make her miserable again.  So she can write.  It has nothing to do with the fact that he might be in love with her, right?

Setting aside the obvious pitfalls of a writer writing about an aspiring writer writing, this movie is
charming and should appeal to anyone who's a) participated in the artistic process of any medium, and b) has ever fallen in love, or wants to fall in love.  It won't hurt if you like Scottish pop music either, as there's plenty of that.

There were seven laugh out loud moments for me in this film.  The "board of pain" was the first, and it continued on right through Jane's protagonist Darsie showing up at odd moments and being quietly hilarious.  Yes, the author's protagonist takes on physical form and appears to torment her.  It should be an eyeroll series of events, but her snarky, sassy observations make up for it.  The only eyeroll moment I counted was Willie being a total ass on the awards podium, then hitting on her.  As an illustration for their eventual relationship, it worked.  There was only one needle dropping moment, however, and that was at the will-he-won't-he proposal moment that ended up not being one, which was so close to the end it might as well not count at all.

The number 42 appeared on the front of a building where Tom stopped to smoke with his "relationship manager".

All tallied, I give this movie a four out of five.  Writers writing about writers... King's done it to death, let it die.  And the fake-out at the end, while it subverted a common trope in a reasonable way, was still annoying.  It's a charming romantic comedy with a brief bit of nudity (for comedic reasons) but at the price point of $15 I'd stream it rather than purchase it unless you like to fill your collection with movies that are great for crafting.  Then go ahead.