Upamanyu Biswas
‘Happy Face’ tells the story of Melissa Reed, a makeup artist at a daytime talk show, who finds herself navigating the challenges of having a serial killer father, Keith Jesperson, AKA Happy Face Killer. After Keith confesses to a new murder, Melissa decides to come out with her father’s identity to the public, hoping to support those who have been affected by him. It attracts undue attention from a variety of dangerous angles, including the son of a murder victim named Ashton McBride, who tracks her down. When he shows up at her doorstep, Ashton is accompanied by his faithful canine companion, Buddha. While the encounter may be creepy, the dog brings a level of light-heartedness to the exchange, which also plays into the threatening undertones of the scene. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Buddha the Dog is a Bystander to a Chilling Confrontation
After we are introduced to Ashton’s character in ‘Happy Face,’ we are soon provided a glimpse into his inner life and how he has been living in a trailer home. His solitary existence is mostly relegated to places with small hints of civilization. His days are spent hunting games in the wild with his dog, Buddha, who keeps him company. Thus, the canine plays an integral role in his life, especially as Ashton seems to prefer a more reclusive lifestyle. The dog appears briefly in a few scenes but remains unharmed throughout the ordeal. Meanwhile, we learn through a flashback how Ashton was distraught after the passing of his mother, Louise Nelson. She was killed by Melissa’s dad, Keith Jesperson, causing him to lose his anchor and struggle to piece his life back together.
When Melissa decides to go public with the information surrounding her dad’s identity, Ashton becomes curious and wishes to see what type of life the daughter of his mother’s killer is privy to. It creates a tense union when he shows up at Melissa’s house while she is away. The person who greets him at the door is Melissa’s son, Max. The latter is disarmed by Ashton’s presence because Buddha is by his side. Seduced by the dog’s charms, Max plays with him and spends almost all day with the man while waiting for Melissa and Ben to return home from a dinner party. Later, Melissa finds him in the backyard, still playing with Buddha. Moments later, Ashton emerges from the shadows and confronts Melissa about her recent interview on ‘The Dr. Greg Show.‘ The dog watches the entire incident from the sidelines without participating.
While Ashton is enraged at Melissa for publicizing her father’s story on ‘The Dr. Greg Show,’ he refrains from doing anything extreme during the encounter with her. Instead, when the police are informed, Ashton disappears from the neighborhood with his dog. For now, he is satisfied with simply announcing himself to Melissa and her family. More importantly, the dog remains safe and sound despite the disturbing clash between the two.
