DVD review: The Happy Time Murders

DVD: The Happy Time Murders

Reviewed by: Samantha Keogh

Review made possible by: Empire Entertainment

This film is hilarious, but for all the wrong reasons.

In a world where puppets coexist with humans, but are treated like second-class citizens, Phil Phillips was the first puppet cop on the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) before being fired.

Now he works as a private eye, aided by his secretary Bubbles, helping puppet clients fight for their rights.

While investigating a case of blackmail against his curvaceous client Sandra, Phil lands up in a puppet-owned porn shop.

As he goes through the shop’s security footage in a back room, a mass (puppet) murder takes place in the shop, putting Phil in the centre of what will become a huge murder investigation.

Among the dead are Mr. Bumblypants, a cast member of “The Happytime Gang”, a beloved, popular puppet television sitcom from the 1990s that was due to go into syndication.

Enter Phil’s ex-partner, Det Connie Edwards, and the stage is set for a clever and often hilarious adult comedy.

Twelve years prior, Edwards was being held at gunpoint by a puppet criminal.

Phil tried to shoot him, but missed and hit an innocent puppet, killing him in front of the puppet’s young daughter.

During the attack, Edwards and the thug exchanged fire, leading to Edwards needing a liver transplant.

With only a puppet liver available, Edwards becomes part-puppet, leaving her with a sugar addiction – the puppet equivalent of heroin.

When more of the cast start dying, Phil and Connie team up to solve the murders, meeting a host of colourful characters and leading to some very risque detective work as they race to solve the case before all the cast members are killed.

Can the two put their differences aside long enough to solve the murders?

And how exactly does Sandra fit into the murders?

You’ll just have to wait and see.

This is a great movie, but parents be warned, while the characters of this movie are puppets, this is definitely not suitable for children.

WARNING: TRAILER CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT