Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson Reunite in 'Happy Hours' at Tribeca Festival
Katie Holmes's directorial and starring vehicle 'Happy Hours,' co-starring her former 'Dawson's Creek' castmate Joshua Jackson, received its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival. The film, a romantic drama about former high-school sweethearts reuniting in middle age, drew significant attention from millennial fans of the original TV series. Critics acknowledged the leads' genuine chemistry but found the script contrived and emotionally unconvincing.
Written, directed by, and starring Katie Holmes, 'Happy Hours' debuted at the Tribeca Festival to considerable fanfare driven largely by nostalgia for 'Dawson's Creek,' the late-1990s teen drama that first paired Holmes and Joshua Jackson. The film follows Liz, a recently divorced Manhattan photojournalist, who rediscovers her former teenage sweetheart Andrew, now a celebrated travel writer, through a chance photograph. Critics praised the undeniable on-screen chemistry between the two leads and noted both performers carry their roles with likability and charm. However, reviewers took issue with a screenplay heavy on literary name-dropping, convenient plot coincidences, and a central misunderstanding that is artificially prolonged to drive conflict. The supporting cast includes Constance Wu, Mary-Louise Parker, and Joe Tippett, with mixed results. Holmes has indicated the film is intended as the first part of a trilogy inspired by Richard Linklater's 'Before' series. The premiere coincided with the debut of a 'Boy Meets World' documentary at the same festival, framing both events within a broader cultural conversation about '90s nostalgia.
What's missing
No audience reception data, box office projections, or distribution details are provided. It is also unclear whether Holmes has secured financing or commitments for the planned sequel films in the proposed trilogy.
How coverage differed
The Hollywood Reporter focused primarily on the film's artistic shortcomings, offering a largely critical assessment of the screenplay and execution. The Washington Post framed the premiere more broadly as a cultural phenomenon, emphasizing millennial nostalgia and the wider trend of '90s stars leveraging their legacy, giving the event a more celebratory tone.
What different sources said
Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and the continued power of ’90s nostalgia
- The Hollywood ReporterCenter
‘Happy Hours’ Review: Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson Aim to Charm, but This Reunion Is Likelier to Make You Cringe Than Swoon
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