Hector and the Search for Happiness - Never really knows what it wants to be

Once I’d watched ‘Hector and the Search for Happiness’ I felt compelled to look it up on the internet, just to see what ‘genre’ it was supposed to be.  Officially, it’s billed as an ‘adventure/drama/comedy.’ I can sort of see where it’s coming from – it kind of tries to be all three, only it doesn’t ever stay on one for long enough to pull it off.

Simon Pegg plays the titular ‘Hector’ – a London psychiatrist who decides that he’s bored with his life and sets off on a journey around the world in search for the meaning of what makes people happy.  Nothing really wrong with that, only the way it’s done.  First of all, as soon as Hector sets off on his journey, he takes on the characteristics of ‘Mr Bean.’ From being a very intelligent man, he becomes a complete clutz.  He knocks over everything around him, then, when he tries to pick anything up, knocks more things over.  How did this happen?  It’s just annoying.  Yes, I guess it appeals to those who like ‘slapstick,’ but it sort of comes out of nowhere and doesn’t seem to fit the character’s former traits.

As Hector goes around the world, the writers do make a few meaningful observations and these do come across.  There is plenty in there that will make you think.  And that’s nice.  Only, just when it starts to decide where it wants to go, it changes and becomes really dark (suddenly we’re into hostage-taking territory) and that slapstick comedy seems like a lifetime ago.

Then, every now and again, the film will use funny little techniques like cartoons to illustrate Hector’s mood, or even deliberately cheap and home made special effects.  Again, these pop up here and there without any real need or explanation.  And then they disappear again equally without notice.

All in all, Hector is a mixed bag.  When it’s good it’s nice and thought-provoking and you’ll find it quite uplifting.  However, they it’ll go off on a genre change tangent and you’ll feel a little mixed up as to where it’s suddenly going.

6/10 Should probably keep you awake if Freddy Krueger was haunting your nights