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Happy Face Murders
An eccentric older woman implicates her brutal & controlling lover in the murder of a young girl. Absorbed with "Murder She Wrote" and "Matlock", she creates details of the murder from clues she picks up from the detectives on the case. Implicating herself and sentenced to jail, she then recants her testimony. But no one believes her until clues surface from the real killer that he is still out there, has killed before, and will kill again. He signs his messages with Happy Faces.
| Release : | 1999 |
| Rating : | 5.7 |
| Studio : | Paramount, Showtime Networks, Cosgrove/Meurer Productions, |
| Crew : | Art Direction, Production Design, |
| Cast : | Ann-Margret Marg Helgenberger Henry Thomas Nicholas Campbell Rick Peters |
| Genre : | Drama Thriller Crime TV Movie |
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Reviews
Sadly Over-hyped
In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film
The made-for-TV movie, HAPPY FACE MURDERS, is based on the activities of Keith Jesperson. Jesperson was a long-haul truck driver and 30-ish in age when he committed his first murder circa 1990. Prior to that time, he lived a "regular" life- employed, married with children, etc. Jesperson's killings took place along his truck routes in the west and northwest United States. Jesperson's first "kill" was a woman he "picked-up" in a bar. This first murder is said to have been sparked by Jesperson's becoming angry when the woman demanded money as payment for their "night out." Jesperson dumped the body in an area he assumed would be secluded enough so as to prevent the body's discovery. However, the body was discovered by hiker's within 24 hours. Thus begins the odd story depicted in this movie. Keith obviously didn't know when he was "well off."
This was one of the best "made-for-tv" movies I have seen. The plot is coherent but unpredictable (which alone makes the movie remarkable). Ann-Margret is terrific and great fun to watch. I recommend the movie.
Made-for-cable movie is appropriately quirky and darkly comic. Clues regarding a small-town sex murder leads a wise female police detective and her rookie partner (Marg Helgenberger and Henry Thomas, both excellent) to a twisted grandma who keeps changing her story. Off-putting details and a few nasty sequences made me wince, but the actors certainly don't look embarrassed, especially Ann-Margret as the granny with a whip (she has a ball!). The story threads are complex and engrossing, but I had trouble with the presentation, which borders on smut with a bigger budget. Some funny lines and memorable bits (like A-M referring to her "bad ticker"), but overall just so-so.
Richard Anselmo stole the ending of the Happy Face Murders as the plodding newspaper reporter. For this part, Anselmo gained over 50 lbs in weight and is being compared to Robert DeNiro's part in " Raging Bull". DeNiro gained 40 lbs in that role to play the part. Anselmo's interview of Ann Margret was the highlight of a very lackluster movie. The only credibility factor of the movie was Anselmo's true to life interview.
