Happy Flashback: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

The Happy Flashback is often used as a mood counterpoint in a scene that is decidedly dark. It especially helps when the entire story is very sad or even [[Tragedy|tragic]] because it provides a "breather" for the audience and helps avoid [[Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy]]. It's similar to [[Comic Relief]], with the benefit of adding [[Backstory]] and helping to breathe some [[Hope Spot|hope]] back into a character or plot. The emotional counterpoint is especially useful for storytellers since it serves to show that the character(s) aren't walking bags of [[Angst]], they ''can'' feel other emotions and the pain they feel now is all the more keen because they once were happy.

* {{color|red|(Please confirm)}} Happens in ''[[Shutter Island]].'' Some of the flashbacks have a more surreal, symbolic value and far from all of them are happy (but some are).

* Jill Tuck has one in ''[[Saw|Saw: The Final Chapter]]''

* ''[[Shallow Grave]]'' ends with {{spoiler|one flatmate dead, another stabbed and uncertain about his fate and a third discovering they've been cheated out of the loot}}. Cue ''Happy Heart'' rolling over a repeated sequence of the three flatmates earlier in the movie, laughing and hugging. [[Tear Jerker|Wham]].