Funny Ha Ha
, considered the first mumblecore film, follows the exploits of recently graduated protagonist Marnie as she tries to find a temporary job and win the attention of a college friend named Alex (who is already in a relationship), while trying to cut down on her beer consumption. Shot on 16 mm film on a very low budget, the film provides a glimpse into the lives of people in their twenties as they try to come to terms with life after college. It also deals with how they intend to confront the responsibilities of adulthood, if only to put them off for as long as possible. The film's events take place around the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.
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FUNNY HA-HA TICKETS
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Reception
The movie was largely successful with critics, who praised it for its realism. It received an 89% freshness score on
Rotten Tomatoes [1] and a rating of 78 on
Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews."
[2]
Wesley Morris of the
The Boston Globe
called the film a "smartly observed, unpretentious, and unconventional comedy of manners."
[3] Daily Variety
s Robert Koehler said the movie was "beautifully observant and wholly unpretentious."
[4]
It was named to top 10 lists by
A.O. Scott of
The New York Times
, Kimberley Jones of the
The Austin Chronicle
, Mark Mohan of the
The Oregonian
and Robert Koehler of
Variety
.
[5]
Despite its critical acclaim, the film's widest release was only in three theaters and its theatrical gross was only $82,620.
[6]
Awards
Andrew Bujalski was the winner of the 2004 Someone to Watch Award at the
Independent Spirit Awards.
[7] The film won the featured film award at the 2004 Black Point Film Festival.
[8] In 2005, Kate Dollenmayer was runner-up for the
National Society of Film Critics Best Actress award.
[9]