Shortcut to Happiness
Directed by:
Alec BaldwinCinematography:
Adam HolenderComposer:
Christopher YoungCast:
Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Dan Aykroyd, Kim Cattrall, John Savage, Jason Patric, Bobby Cannavale, Amy Poehler, Barry Miller (more)Plots(1)
Jabez Stone (Alec Baldwin) is a desperate, down on his luck writer who reaches rock bottom when his close friend, Julius Jensen (Dan Aykroyd), finds success. Thwarted in his attempts to get his work published, he meets a beautiful stranger (Jennifer Love Hewitt) who offers him a chance at fame and fortune in exchange for his soul. Stone, having lost faith in himself, agrees to the offer. After accepting the deal Jabez is quickly lavished with all he had ever dreamed of. A book deal, money, women, notoriety, Stone now had it all. However, despite the success, he is losing the friendship, respect and trust of those around him. Coming to the realization that he didn't quite get everything he bargained for, Stone begs the Devil to release him from their deal. When the Devil scoffs he turns to famed orator Daniel Webster (Anthony Hopkins). The two conclude that they should take the battle to court with Webster defending Stone in an otherworldly trial against the Devil in the ultimate battle of wits in a fight over the fate of Stone's soul. (Umbrella Entertainment)
(more)Reviews (2)
The roots of the book that this was adapted from can be found with Faust and Washington Irving, with follow-up work in Archibald MacLeish and the musical "Scratch." Among the film adaptations, All That Money Can Buy (1941), which adapts Benet's Faust for the first time, is worthy of note. A now we finally get Shortcut to Happiness? It's not a very good debut from Baldwin as a director. The tug-of-war with the producers was apparently meant to result in a second Bedazzled. Although this does have an all-star cast, especially the excellent and devilish Jenn Love, the story will have to wait for another adaptation to be sufficiently rehabilitated.
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A dumb variation on a Faustian tale aimed at Americans, so (and this can't possibly be a spoiler) it must have a happy ending. Perhaps the most striking thing about Shortcut to Happiness is the direct proportion "the better the actor, the more boring they are".
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