Raya (Raya Miles) has a strange habit. At the beginning of the new film Our Happy Place we watch as Raya wakes up in the middle of a forest and wanders back home to her cabin… again. This is troubling on a few levels. Raya has no clue how she ended up outside, in the forest, and worse still, she is the caretaker for her bedridden partner Paul (Paul Bickel). Bickel, who also writes and directs this Covid-era thriller sets a delightful trap for fans of a good mystery thriller despite the pandemic and budgetary limitations. Yet, Bickel can’t help from pushing a little too hard for a kicker of a finale.
After making her way home to her cabin in the mountains, Raya showers, acts as caregiver to her partner, then hits up her gal pal Amy (Tracie Thoms) on Zoom. We get a bit more context here as we learn that, aside from feeling isolated while caring for Paul in the mountains, the Covid-19 pandemic is still happening and, worse still, it’s Christmas. With a renewed sense of purpose, Raya decorates the tree, prepares a meal, and wheels her beloved out from the bedroom for a festive dining experience. The next morning she wakes up, again, out in the snow-patched forest. This time she is haunted by visions of murder.
Clinging to the one safe space that she knows, Raya doubles down on keeping Paul safe and healthy while trying to interpret her visions of murder and her penchant for sleep-hiking. Would Raya’s recent visions have anything to do with the recent spat of missing travelers in the area? How do you reach out for help when you are told that isolation is the only option? Raya spirals into a weird mix of madness and practicality while trying to solve the mystery. In one scene we learn that she regularly builds a barricade of furniture in the hallway and ties herself to the toilet to keep from wandering overnight. Unfortunately, this does little to contain the problem.
I really have to hand it to writer-director Paul Bickel for working within his resources to create an engaging thriller. The limitations are apparent but are hardly detrimental. A single-location thriller is always a puzzle and he tackles it admirably. I also have to give kudos to Miles for pretty much carrying the entire film from frame one. Her performance is honest and relatable whether she is chatting with a friend online or stumbling along a busy mountain highway, covered in mud. Raya’s resolve to persevere and solve the nagging mystery is what keeps us engaged.
Our Happy Place does get a little too convoluted towards the end of the film. Cliche as it is, sometimes less really is more. We need the resolution of the story at hand more than we need the dollup of whjipped cream and cherry on top as it were. Regardless, Writer director Bickel gives us enough to be interested in. Meanwhile Miles convinces us that her actions are believable.
It’s minimal, it’s indie, but Our Happy Place is a noteworthy thriller with its fair share of surprises.
