| What Happened Was... | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Tom Noonan |
| Screenplay by | Tom Noonan |
| Based on | What Happened Was... by Tom Noonan |
| Produced by | Scott Macaulay Robin O'Hara |
| Starring | Karen Sillas Tom Noonan |
| Cinematography | Joe DeSalvo |
| Edited by | Richmond Arrley |
| Music by | Ludovico Sorret |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | The Samuel Goldwyn Company |
Release dates | 26 January 1994 (Sundance) 9 September 1994 (US) |
Running time | 91 minutes [1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
What Happened Was... is a 1994 American independent film written for the screen, directed by and starring Tom Noonan.[2] It is an adaptation of Noonan's original stage play of the same name.[3]
Premise
The film depicts two people, played by Karen Sillas and Tom Noonan, on a first date; their conversation gradually reveals their lonely lives and hidden personalities.[4][5]
Reception
What Happened Was... has an overall approval rating of 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.[6]
On the Siskel & Ebert show, Gene Siskel gave the film a thumbs up, stating that "For what is really just one long night of conversation, the stakes and the tension couldn't be any higher if these were two characters having a more conventional action scene." Roger Ebert, however, gave the film a thumbs down, calling it "Contrived" and stating that "There is a lot less here than meets the eye."[7] The film is a favourite of filmmaker Charlie Kaufman.[8]
Year-end lists
- 10th – Todd Anthony, Miami New Times[9]
- Top 9 (not ranked) – Dan Webster, The Spokesman-Review[10]
- Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) – Jimmy Fowler, Dallas Observer[11]
- "The second 10" (not ranked) – Sean P. Means, The Salt Lake Tribune[12]
- Honorable mention – Howie Movshovitz, The Denver Post[13]
- Honorable mention – Jeff Simon, The Buffalo News[14]
Accolades
It won the Grand Jury Prize and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.[15] Noonan was nominated for Best First Screenplay and Karen Sillas for Best Female Lead at the 10th Independent Spirit Awards.
References
- ↑ MUBI
- ↑ The 10 Most Underrated American Independent Films of The 1990s - Page 2 - Taste of Cinema
- ↑ Levy, Emanuel (28 January 1994). "What Happened Was". Variety.
- ↑ Roger Ebert
- ↑ TCM.com
- ↑ "Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2021-07-06.
- ↑ Quiz Show, Milk Money, A Simple Twist of Fate, A Good Man in Africa, What Happened Was…, 1994-Siskel and Ebert Movie Reviews
- ↑ ""Anomalisa" Star Reveals E-Mail Trail Sparked Close Bond To Hollywood Great Charlie Kaufman". Retrieved 2020-09-28.
- ↑ Anthony, Todd (January 5, 1995). "Hits & Disses". Miami New Times.
- ↑ Webster, Dan (January 1, 1995). "In Year of Disappointments, Some Movies Still Delivered". The Spokesman-Review (Spokane ed.). p. 2.
- ↑ Zoller Seitz, Matt (January 12, 1995). "Personal best From a year full of startling and memorable movies, here are our favorites". Dallas Observer.
- ↑ P. Means, Sean (January 1, 1995). "'Pulp and Circumstance' After the Rise of Quentin Tarantino, Hollywood Would Never Be the Same". The Salt Lake Tribune (Final ed.). p. E1.
- ↑ Movshovitz, Howie (December 25, 1994). "Memorable Movies of '94 Independents, fringes filled out a lean year". The Denver Post (Rockies ed.). p. E-1.
- ↑ Simon, Jeff (January 1, 1995). "Movies: Once More, with Feeling". The Buffalo News. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- ↑ 'What Happened Was,' 'Freedom on My Mind' Win Top Honors at Sundance Festival