Shortcut to Happiness

This is a modern version of the old story " The Devil and Daniel Webster". In brief, Jabez Stone is a struggling writer ( instead of farmer ) and the devil comes disguised as a crafty, ruthless female, but the basic elements are all there----in addition to some new ones that depict, quite compellingly, how making a deal with the devil undermined his conscience and turned him into a person he never wanted to be.Just as in the original story, Daniel Webster takes his case, at enormous risk, in order to redeem Jabez Stone's soul. Minor details have been changed, but they really serve to enhance the story, so the plot is a real winner.It does not come from a big studio, unfortunately, but the performances are excellent and totally befitting of a more expensive movie.The allure of temptation and the unexpected consequences of self-serving priorities are on full display here, and make a vivid, enduring impression.

The film starts out by capturing your attention. It's a wonderful movie. Baldwin is writing an amusing book . He meets his writer friends , who are all trying to make it as authors,at a restaurant. The story is very good. You have an angry devil, Jennifer Love Hewett, who needs to eat something. Perhaps this is why she is so angry. The ending is a little slow. In fact it goes on way too long.

Despite the well-worn premise of the story, Shortcut to Happiness is a fresh, interesting look at an old dilemma. The scenes are well laid out, the acting all around is superb, the tension palpable. Most importantly, the message delivered is clear. Well worth watching.

Waited so long for this movie. It emphasizes the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for.”

A good twist to an old story. Very entertaining.

Husband happy finally got this movies very good

Superlative writing and an outstanding cast mark Shortcut to Happiness as one of the best and most entertaining films I've seen in quite some time. The story of The Devil and Daniel Webster is a familiar one, but the execution of this version is dynamic on every level. What writer does not suffer the angst of witnessing the most incompetent achieve outrageous success, while his own cherished manuscripts might lie gathering dust on a shelf?What if Hell's most attractive demon offered you that success, but it turned out to be vacuous and meaningless as society honored you for any piece of dreck that you churned out? Could it be any worse than witnessing the success of other incompetents as genuine talents around you fail?There's a lot to examine here, and I found myself thinking about Shortcut to Happiness for days after watching it! Excellent film! (Pray for a Region 1 version or find it on cable.)

Good film Shame it didn't do well at the box office but can enjoy on DVD. Certain parts of this film I can relate to. Love the last 15 minutes so touching in that the most simplest thing in life are free and you should be happy with what you have.

not a great film. devil and daniel webster. female devil.. skinny also.