Menu
Hector and the Search for Happiness Poster

Hector and the Search for Happiness

Sometimes to find yourself you need to get a little lost.
2014 | 114m | English

(51863 votes)

TMDb IMDb

Popularity: 1 (history)

Details

Hector is a quirky psychiatrist who has become increasingly tired of his humdrum life. As he tells his girlfriend, Clara, he feels like a fraud: he hasn’t really tasted life, and yet he’s offering advice to patients who are just not getting any happier. So Hector decides to break out of his deluded and routine driven life. Armed with buckets of courage and child-like curiosity, he embarks on a global quest in hopes of uncovering the elusive secret formula for true happiness. And so begins a larger than life adventure with riotously funny results.
Release Date: Aug 14, 2014
Director: Peter Chelsom
Writer: Tinker Lindsay, Maria von Heland, François Lelord, Peter Chelsom
Genres: Comedy, Adventure, Drama
Keywords africa, china, office, narration, routine, travel, patient, psychiatrist, pursuit, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, college friends, organization, work routine, daily routine, simple life, ordinary
Production Companies Film Afrika, Téléfilm Canada, Egoli Tossell Film, Head Gear Films, Relativity Media, China Blue Productions, Film House Germany, Wild Bunch Germany, Metrol Technology, Construction Film, Screen Siren Pictures, Bankside Films, Outlaw Films, Erfftal Film- & Fernsehproduktion GmbH & Co. KG, Star Gate Films
Box Office Revenue: $1,124,445
Budget: $0
Updates Updated: Feb 01, 2025 (Update)
Entered: Apr 13, 2024
Trailers and Extras

International Posters

Full Credits

Name Character
Simon Pegg Hector
Rosamund Pike Clara
Toni Collette Agnes
Stellan Skarsgård Edward
Christopher Plummer Professor Coreman
Jean Reno Diego Baresco
Barry Atsma Michael
Veronica Ferres Anjali
Ming Zhao Ying Li
Tracy-Ann Oberman Pathetic Jane
Chad Willett Alan
Togo Igawa Old Monk
Mary Twala Grim Granny
Bernard Cuffling Professor Niedorf
Jakob Davies Young Hector
Chris Gauthier Roger
Dean Paul Gibson Joyless Husband
Eileen Barrett Joyless Wife
Michael Adamthwaite Queen's Guard
Vincent Gale Clara's Boss
Gabrielle Rose French Proprietress
Thorsten Wedekind Stressed German
Alexa Damián Business Class Stewardess
Malcolm Boddington Doorman
Gribunina Marina Passport Control
Ana Trujic Economy Class Stewardess
Aaron Le Young Monk
S'Thandiwe Kgoroge Marie Louise
Anthony Oseyemi Marcel
Sebelethu Bonkolo Baruti
Hannah Longworth Daisy
Aiden Longworth Jack
Jordan Schartner Evil Plane Assassin
Name Job
Jason McConnell Leadman
Tinker Lindsay Screenplay
Maria von Heland Screenplay
François Lelord Novel
Jesse Zubot Original Music Composer
Claus Wehlisch Editor
Michael Diner Production Design
Judy Lee Casting
Laurel Bergman Art Direction
Jo Mooney Art Direction
Emilia Roux Art Direction
Fabienne van de Koolwijk Art Direction
James Willcock Set Decoration
Guy Speranza Costume Designer, Costume Design
Anne Carroll Key Hair Stylist
Monica Huppert Key Makeup Artist
Nadine Scherer Makeup & Hair
Dominik Bollen Post Production Supervisor
Jim O'Grady Production Manager
Paula Antil Third Assistant Director
Paul Barry First Assistant Director
Philip Nee Nee Second Assistant Director
John Beatty Construction Coordinator
Shannon Courte Assistant Art Director
Ariane Haase Assistant Art Director
Kate Hilson Graphic Designer
Joy Munt Assistant Set Decoration
Raphaele Reineke Construction Manager
Olly Steele Armorer
Maggie Wilson Property Master
Renata Zaleska Assistant Property Master
Riza Aydin ADR Recordist
Adrian Baumeister Dialogue Editor
Kate McColgan Assistant Art Director
Simon Bright Boom Operator
Jesse Ehredt Sound Recordist
Tim Limer Sound Recordist
Dash Mason-Malik Boom Operator
Sebastian Morsch Foley Editor
Carsten Richter Foley Artist
Markus Stemler Sound Designer
Martin Steyer Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Marcus Sujata Foley Mixer
Alex Burdett Special Effects Coordinator
Stefan Kessner Visual Effects Supervisor
Maren Dolzmann Visual Effects Coordinator
Matt Biffa Music Supervisor
Brad Van Arragon Line Producer
Peter Hermann Line Producer
Peter Chelsom Director, Screenplay
Dan Mangan Original Music Composer
Kolja Brandt Director of Photography
Deborah Aquila Casting
Tricia Wood Casting
Colette D. Dahanne Sound Editor
Scott J. Ateah Stunt Coordinator
Dan Hirst Stunt Double
Evelin Penttilä Production Assistant
Name Title
Klaus Dohle Producer
Trish Dolman Producer
Judy Tossell Producer
John Albanis Co-Producer
Nina Maag Co-Producer
Christian Angermayer Producer
Jens Meurer Executive Producer
Yoshi Nishio Executive Producer
Rainer Puls Executive Producer
Oliver Puls Executive Producer
Marc Gabizon Executive Producer
Markus Aldenhoven Executive Producer
Amelie von Kienlin Executive Producer
Christine Strobl Executive Producer
Roman Klink Executive Producer
Marc Hansell Executive Producer
Klemens Hallmann Executive Producer
Benjamin Melkman Executive Producer
Alan Howard Executive Producer
Elliot Ross Executive Producer
Fenella Ross Executive Producer
Phil Hope Executive Producer
Kim Arnott Executive Producer
Oliver Damian Co-Producer
Markus Reinecke Associate Producer
Yasin Qureshi Associate Producer
Mohammed Hans Dastmaltchi Associate Producer
Jens-Peter Stein Associate Producer
Christine Haebler Producer
Phil Hunt Producer
Compton Ross Producer
Ryan Kavanaugh Executive Producer
Tucker Tooley Executive Producer
Organization Category Person
Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 4 15 19 11
2024 5 16 22 10
2024 6 15 24 8
2024 7 21 54 8
2024 8 14 21 10
2024 9 13 26 6
2024 10 20 49 8
2024 11 12 23 7
2024 12 11 16 6
2025 1 12 27 6
2025 2 10 15 3
2025 3 5 15 1
2025 4 1 2 1
2025 5 1 2 1
2025 6 1 2 1
2025 7 1 1 1
2025 8 1 2 1

Trending Position


No trending metrics available.

Return to Top

Reviews

Rangan
9.0

> Chase your life (dream), don't let it chase you away. A multinationally produced film product. The story as well won't take place in one place, but travels around the different continents. It is when 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' meets 'The Ultimate Gift'. A very inspiring theme, made by 'S ... erendipity' director which is his first film since last five years. Looks like it is his career best, at least in my perspective it is. The film talks about the different human moods, especially about the search for happiness as the title suggest. Being I am a movie fanatic, I won't watch great flicks every day. It is not easy to come by, sometimes I have to go through 5 movies, sometimes 10 and sometimes a month long wait. In my recent watch I liked so many flicks, but never considered them as my favourites until this one. Like I said its been months and I am super excited with this film. As usual, my nemesis, the critics led it to the box office flop. I am saying the same thing that it's definitely not suit for critics, but families (excluding kids) and mainly middle-aged people. It will be too early for children to understand the movie and there is a nudity, but no sex scenes. The old people can enjoy watching it, but won't inspire them like 'The Bucket List' did. > "Do you have any children, doctor? > My husband and I, it was our only regret. We couldn't. > But, you know what? It was bloody good fun trying." Usually for the western countries, self-discover means visiting India. We have seen movies like 'The Darjeeling Limited', 'Eat Pray Love' and many more that focuses on the similar subjects. This film gets rid of that so called cliche and goes ahead with different locations. The title character Hector goes for a such mission looking for happiness through self-discovery, meets different people and their cultures. Even he undergoes several life threatening situations and also meets his past (people) only to clear his head. Hector was a very fond of Tintin comic books, he kind of imagines that he's Tintin and his dog as Snowy, but there's no confirmation in this regard in the movie. The adventure he takes exactly depicts what Tintin stories do. Looks his mood was kind of affect since his childhood. In the opening scene, he loses his dog which represented his 'Happiness'. Also, where the 'Unhappiness' (probably his girlfriend in his real world) rose above and tailed him since. These are simply my theory considering unexplained things or trying to crack down the hidden messages. I won't deny that some of the ideas were borrowed from the other flicks. It might not be as fancy as 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty', but it had some of its own great momentum like, laughs, craziness, emotions, romance and adventures. I have not seen Simon Pegg's all the movies, but in this he was never seen before avatar. I'll definitely remember it for him as long as I'll be in this film watching business. I was expecting his usual comedy, but I was absolutely blown away for witnessing an uplifting movie. If you focus deeply on the narration, you could virtually experience passing through all those provinces shown in the film. Definitely one of the top 10 films from the year 2014. I highly recommend it, certainly a must watch. 9/10

May 16, 2024