A Fable Built on Red Dirt and Idealism

MOVIE REVIEW
Legend of the Happy Worker
-     

Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 40m
Director(s): Duwayne Dunham
Writer(s): S.E. Feinberg, Duwayne Dunham, Jerold Pearson
Cast: Josh Whitehouse, Thomas Haden Church, Colm Meaney, Meagan Holder, Rhys Mitchell, Amy Shiels, Nathan Stevens, Michael Horse
Where to Watch: shown at the 78th Locarno Film Festival

RAVING REVIEW: There’s an eccentric kind of courage in telling a story that isn’t easily explained. LEGEND OF THE HAPPY WORKER, the surrealist satire from veteran editor-turned-director Duwayne Dunham, embraces that ambiguity with open arms and dusty boots. Set in a self-contained utopia built from scratch in the Utah desert, this film is more about philosophy than plot, and more about tone than resolution. But that doesn’t mean it lacks clarity—it just refuses to spoon-feed meaning in a world that’s anything but straightforward.

Built on the bones of S.E. Feinberg’s play The Happy Worker, the film follows Joe (Josh Whitehouse), an unassuming laborer in a sealed-off community who unexpectedly inherits something that you can’t buy. From that setup comes a winding journey through misplaced idealism, bureaucratic absurdity, moral collapse, and, ultimately, a cautious form of redemption. It’s a simple story told through abstraction—think of it as a dreamscape fable held together by rhythm, ritual, and strange sincerity.

Dunham treats the material with the adoration of myth and the looseness of satire. Working from a screenplay co-written with Feinberg and Jerold Pearson, he makes no effort to sand off the script’s theatrical edges. He celebrates them. Dialogue flows with a poetic cadence that feels rehearsed but never stiff, as if the characters are aware they’re in a parable yet still want to convey every word they say with sincerity.

Whitehouse, previously cast in period pieces and soft-hearted romances, brings gravitas to Joe, a man unsure of his destiny. His fall from grace is neither dramatic nor villainous; it’s more of a slow unraveling of ideals when the machinery around him grinds out of sync. Thomas Haden Church, as the gruff and oddly prophetic Goose, infuses the film with warmth and resignation. At the same time, Colm Meaney’s Clete delivers the film’s most memorable lines, including a pointed reference to “Eve of Destruction,” which frames the story’s broader existential questions.

Visually, LEGEND OF THE HAPPY WORKER exists in a space outside of time. Shot entirely in Utah’s Echo Canyon and Monument Valley—landscapes immortalized by classic westerns—the film trades on the iconography of American mythos while never grounding itself in any specific era. The production design by Chris DeMuri, coupled with cinematography by Reed Smoot, conjures a world that feels both nostalgic and alien. The red earth becomes symbolic, almost sacred, anchoring the film’s abstract themes in something elemental and profound. It is, without a doubt, one of the most visually stunning films I’ve seen in some time. I couldn’t help but think about all the classic movies shot in these locations.

In one of the film’s most poetic moments, Joe listens to a speech about broken systems and the meaning of labor while staring at a machine that no longer functions. The metaphor is almost too clean, but Dunham doesn’t belabor it. The point isn’t that the system fails—it’s that the people who believe in it have to decide what comes next. That’s where the redemption arc emerges. This isn’t about fixing what’s broken; it’s about understanding why it broke and choosing to care anyway.

Musically, the score by Jan A.P. Kaczmarek and Phil Marshall—performed by the FilmHarmonic Orchestra in Prague—adds a whimsical yet mournful tone. The music feels like it’s being played from within the town itself, echoing through its streets. There are even songs written and performed by cast members and collaborators, further blurring the line between performance and lived experience.

Not everything lands perfectly. At times, the film’s commitment to its theatrical roots makes it feel emotionally distant. The structure meanders by design, but it occasionally tests the audience’s patience, especially for those seeking conventional conflict. Yet those moments of abstraction are part of the invitation: this is a film that asks viewers to trust it, even when they’re not sure where it's going.

For Dunham, LEGEND OF THE HAPPY WORKER represents a full-circle moment—melding the clean, mythic storytelling of his Disney days with the existential edge of his Lynch collaborations. It’s a small, strange movie with big, unwieldy questions. What is the cost of belief? Who gets to lead? Can anything truly change? Rather than answering, the film simply sits with the discomfort and lets its characters carry the weight.

There’s a quiet bravery in that. In an era where messages are usually delivered with a bullhorn, this one whispers—and for those who listen, it leaves something behind. Not a resolution, maybe, but a reflection. And sometimes that’s more lasting.

Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. My social media accounts can also be found on most platforms by searching for 'Overly Honest Reviews'.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please don't hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.

[photo courtesy of BREAKER, SINGULARDTV, VINEYARD FILM PRODUCTIONS]

DISCLAIMER:
At Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive complimentary items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl Records, Books, and more. We assure you that these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to providing unbiased and sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.

Amazon Affiliate Links:
Additionally, this site contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission. This affiliate arrangement does not affect our commitment to honest reviews and helps support our site. We appreciate your trust and support in navigating these links.