Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- darkly comic
- whimsical
- cautionary
- casual movie night
- fantasy comedy double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as an unsuccessful Faustian comedy weakened by poor pacing, direction, and acting performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jabez explicitly offers his soul for literary success, wealth, and romantic attention.
Jabez's failed novels become best-sellers despite poor quality, exposing the instability of fame and taste.
Jabez gains money and attention but loses time for Julius and his former social connections.
Jennifer Love Hewitt's Devil arrives to formalize Jabez's bargain and resolve the accidental killing in a darkly comic framework.
Films like Shortcut to Happiness, and why
Bedazzled
shared comic supernatural bargain, moral consequences, and satirical treatment of ambition
The Devil and Daniel Webster
shared deal-with-the-devil premise, comedic fantasy, and temptation-driven protagonist
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
shared Faustian bargain, dark comedy, and critique of status-seeking success
Liar Liar
shared fantasy satire of fame, wealth, and compromised personal values
Movie Details
- Director
- Alec Baldwin
- Release Date
- 2007-07-13
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 5.6 / 10 (194)
Cast
- Alec Baldwin
- Jennifer Love Hewitt
- Anthony Hopkins
- Dan Aykroyd
- Kim Cattrall
- Barry Miller
- Amy Poehler
- Midori Nakamura
- Mike Doyle
- Gregg Bello
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, FlixFling
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Shortcut to Happiness about?
- A desperate Manhattan novelist trades his soul for fame, only to discover that bestseller status can cost more than failure.
- What is Shortcut to Happiness like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Shortcut to Happiness as slow, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Shortcut to Happiness violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Shortcut to Happiness as mild.
- What did critics think of Shortcut to Happiness?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as an unsuccessful Faustian comedy weakened by poor pacing, direction, and acting performances.
- Which films are like Shortcut to Happiness?
- Films with a similar feel include Bedazzled, The Devil and Daniel Webster, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, and Liar Liar.
- How long is Shortcut to Happiness?
- Shortcut to Happiness runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch Shortcut to Happiness?
- In United States, Shortcut to Happiness streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel.
