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First, the Recap:
They’ve always seemed to say that if you fail, try, try again. The mantra for those seeking to discover or gain that which they most long for is, in itself, one to emulate and strive to maintain when determination and a dogged resolve to achieve a specific end game remains strong within us. However, what happens when that very same undeviating, unshakable momentum isn’t exactly being directed in an overtly healthy way? Coming off the circumstances she’d found herself embroiled with previously and the rather–pointed–results it garnered for her, Ellie (Amy Radloff) has chosen to proclaim her successes to her therapist, Dr. Earl Straum (Wes Worthing), actually a man she appears to respect and value.
Yet, having just been saying a sweet goodbye to his wife and co-worker Carol (Wendi Wendt) before finishing up at the office, Dr. Straum is not quite prepared for Ellie’s unplanned “drop in” to laud her recent achievement and ideally find solace and happiness shared with him. Initially giving in and listening to Ellie expound, it becomes immediately apparent her intentions might not be harmless or innocent, as the conversation begins taking turns that not only agitate a still outwardly calm Ellie, but truly rattle the good doctor, who tries everything to cease the conversation and its inappropriate tone and subject. Thinking it over, Dr. Straum has no idea that Ellie still has quite an earful to give him–for good or ill.
Next, my Mind:
It’s the magic of dark humor mixed with creepy, jarring, thriller-esque elements that drives this direct sequel to 2018’s wonderfully effective and engaging “Low Self Esteem“, again brought to deliciously twisted life by writer/director/producer Mikeal Burgin. A stark lesson, taken to purposeful extremes here for shocking effect, in how we can so often take matters involving love and attempt to warp them into our own sense of what it should be rather than thinking clearly or allowing our inner demons to dictate our actions, the 10-minute effort sweeps us through its narrative, slowly building up to a punch-in-the-face finale while so deftly causing us to not only recall the events of the previous film, but watch as the attitude and tone from it all beautifully carries over seamlessly, delivering an apropos atmosphere of tension that so utterly befits this ongoing saga of one young woman’s ominous pursuit of what she chooses to call “love”.
As hinted at above, it really does speak with conviction to the fact that once we’ve purposed to do something to gain that which we crave, it throws logic and reasoning out the door, which can not only harm others in the process, but really just feeds a further developing “sickness” as it were (here quite literally!) that can threaten to consume us to the point of losing sight of making any decisions that could actually benefit us. Additionally, no one likes to be told “No!”, and to persist in the face of someone stating this only makes matters infinitely worse and the situation that much more volatile, which is yet another facet so well illustrated here (even if the results are, again, a tad–severe–in this tale! But it’s just so GOOD!). Additionally, there’s a point also made clear that might shake you up when you think of how often people around you who were genuinely trying to help you end up on the receiving end of our ingratitude, though the underlying intentions laid out in Burgin’s film definitively shows the price paid for messing with someone’s perspective on things, even if totally looney!
Radloff just oozes freaky, calculated menace and eerily attractive, manipulative resolve in reprising her role as the off-kilter and decisively deranged Ellie, a woman most certainly not in control despite her supposed attempts to overcome being made to feel worthless by the men she’s desired, initiating a cycle of feeling unwanted that has had a not so great impact on the means by which she chooses to deal with it all. But, now possessing what she’s decided is a victory won in her quest to show what a fine catch she really is, Ellie’s dark focus comes back around to the therapist she’s been seeing, hoping to express the joy she now feels and wishes to experience more thanks to having such a grounded and level-headed approach to things from their sessions. But, as he resists her advances and chastises her for even thinking what she’s considering for them, her demeanor ebbs from playful seductress to completely sinister yet calm puppet master as revelations come about that take events to their potentially fatal conclusion. Radloff’s smooth delivery and telling body language work so crazy well here that she makes playing a nutcase look casual and easy, which only speaks to the expert level of realism and talent she brings to the table playing this character.
Worthing likewise brings a solidly executed performance that so perfectly melds with Radloff’s in his portrayal of Dr. Straum, a normal, unassuming, intelligent man and hard-working therapist whom we can just tell gets great personal fulfillment in being able to assist people with their ills, mental and perhaps otherwise. Having the added joy of working with his wife, his practice thrives and, on this particular evening, simply looks forward to closing up shop and getting home. His plans, though, get seriously waylaid when an unscheduled visitor inserts herself into his day, Ellie, whom we assume has been a rather long-standing client at this point. Perfectly civil but hesitant to allow her time to speak with it being outside their normal session, Dr. Straum ultimately allows her the chance to orate, only to discover that there is a LOT more behind it and behind Ellie’s deliberate and premeditated presence in his office, which only gets him exasperated and then fearful once Ellie has made known what she’s really after. Thinking he still has the upper hand, all falls to pieces, the outcome of which is the last thing he would have anticipated to end this work day. Worthing, like Radloff, plays the character so effortlessly that it makes the emotions and actions given believable and unfeigned, needed assets in character-driven films like this.
The two primary supporting turns here are given by Wendt as Dr. Straum’s unsuspecting wife, Carol, who has a much larger part to play in the deviant events than she realizes or is even aware of, and Maria Theresa’s appearance as a local cop who ends up involved as well, though how I cannot divulge at this point due to avoidance of giving away plot points the character would allude to if I were to expand on when she arrives. In total, “Happily Ellie After: Low Self Esteem 2” is a hugely worthy and entertaining sequel to the first film, creating a new femme fatale we find ourselves rooting for, scarily enough. Even if solely for the sake of following a now ongoing and disturbing journey Ellie’s on that we’re all getting sucked into, perhaps pining to see where her (admittedly) delightfully evil mind, smile, and lovelorn meanderings take her to next, let’s just hope no one decides the best advice to give her is “Hey! Just get to the point!”.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
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