The Complexity of Happiness

To those who have inherited a family business, pray you never see Enrico Giusti darken your door. Enrico (Valerio Mastandrea) is not a hatchet man, he's more of a persuader. When a family-owned corporation is concerned that the next in line is too incompetent to run a business, it calls Enrico, who gradually convinces the young heirs to step down before the whole enterprise collapses. He is known for his tenacity, careful to let his client come to the realization of a necessary career change. The son of a corporate titan who left his empire in disgrace and abandoned his family, Enrico has made it his life's work to ensure other dynasties don't meet the same fate. His life is turned around following the deaths of a famous husband-and-wife entrepreneurial team, whose company enlists Enrico to prevent the couple's two young heirs, aged 18 and 13, from taking over. At the same time, a beautiful, mysterious woman named Achrinoam (Hadas Yaron) suddenly appears in Enrico's apartment uninvited, saying she is the ex-girlfriend of Enrico's brother and has nowhere else to go. With Achrinoam observing every move, and the teen heirs' steadfast refusal to give in to their late parents' wishes, Enrico begins to question his entire worldview. Director Gianni Zanasi's wry comedy about fathers, sons, and the conflicting expectations of heritage shows that a family inheritance can be just as much emotional as financial. (Seattle International Film Festival)