DeepSummary
Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael discuss the 2008 M. Night Shyamalan film The Happening, in which trees and plants release a toxin that causes people to commit suicide. They critique the nonsensical plot, bad acting, and numerous baffling choices made in the film.
Some of the most bizarre elements they highlight include Mark Wahlberg's character inexplicably wearing a mood ring, a scene where Wahlberg talks to a plastic plant, and a character delivering the line "Plan on murdering me in my sleep?" seemingly out of nowhere. They also mock Zooey Deschanel's character's strange behavior during the crisis.
The hosts frequently express their confusion over basic aspects of the film's premise, such as why the phenomenon only affects the northeastern United States, why certain characters act oblivious to the deadly crisis unfolding around them, and the lack of any real explanation or resolution by the end.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- M. Night Shyamalan's 2008 film The Happening is regarded as a bizarre, unintentionally comedic failure due to its confounding premise, illogical plot points, and laughable dialogue and character choices.
- The premise of trees and plants releasing a toxin that causes people to commit suicide in over-the-top ways is treated with utmost seriousness, but executed in an absurd, nonsensical manner.
- Mark Wahlberg delivers an uninspired leading performance as a high school science teacher who theorizes about the phenomenon, while co-star Zooey Deschanel's bizarre reactions defy logic.
- Numerous inexplicable elements, such as Wahlberg's character wearing a mood ring and talking to a plastic plant, contribute to the film's unintentional humor.
- Despite the film's lack of internal logic or meaningful resolution, it has gained a cult following for being an entertainingly incompetent thriller.
- The hosts' bewilderment at the film's flaws and passionate mocking of its nonsensical elements make for an entertaining deconstruction of a cinematic failure.
- User reviews highlighting absurd moments and dialogue exemplify how The Happening has become a beloved "so bad it's good" movie.
- The episode illustrates how dissecting cinematic missteps from an artistic perspective can provide unintentional entertainment value.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “I don't think we should be doing.“ by Jason Mantzoukas
- “I love it. Great job. Second opinions from Amazon. Average rating of this film. Four out of five stars.“ by Paul Scheer
- “Mark Wahlberg pretends to have brains, but he talks to plastic plants is totally insane.“ by Jason Mantzoukas
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Episode Information
How Did This Get Made?
Earwolf and Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jason Mantzoukas
6/28/24