Everyone knows divorce can be really tough on kids, but who's doing anything about it?
Henry Winkler is one. The actor, director and executive producer of numerous television programs and movies produced Happily Ever After. Bill Melendez is another. Melendez directed this film, adding it to an impressive career that goes back to the 1940s as an animator, director, and producer for Warner Brothers and Peanuts features. Melendez even provided the voice of Snoopy in seven of the Peanuts cartoons.
But Happily Ever After stands on its own very effectively. It's the story of Molly Conway, a little girl faced with the prospect of her parents splitting up. The film explores this difficult issue in an honest and straightforward manner, but it still manages to introduce music, fantasy and even humour into the story.
We follow Molly's experience from before she learns of her parents' break-up through the event and into life afterward. Things are only slightly candy-coated, as we learn that when one dream doesn't come true, it's always possible to come up with a new dream.
Molly's dreams are a major element of Happily Ever After, symbolically demonstrating the evolution of her feelings during this tough time. The comic relief, which is offered in liberal doses throughout the film, balances the difficult stuff effectively.
Carol Burnett narrates the film nicely, and she is joined by other recognisable voices: Winkler, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman and Carrie Fisher. All deliver their lines well.
Does Happily Ever After solve the problems of kids caught up in family break-up? Of course not. Does it make the whole situation a bit more manageable and help kids feel they aren't alone? You bet. Your kids will learn a lot and enjoy themselves too. Winkler, Melendez and everyone else responsible for this film deserve credit for its honesty, sensitivity and good humour.
