This summer will be full of love and laughter! Netflix is coming out with a new film that is sure to be as enlightening as it is entertaining. Happiness for Beginners will be a romantic comedy starring Ellie Kemper. The film is an adaptation of a book of the same name. Considering how well book-to-movie adaptations do in the world of cinema, we are in for a treat.

Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. There will be wilderness exploration, romance in the air, love interests butting heads, and so much more. This is everything we know about the Netflix film Happiness for Beginners.

Happiness for Beginners: The Plot

Netflix

This film would not be considered a rom-com without having some disasters along the way. Newly divorced, Helen Carpenter joins a wilderness survival course to push herself out of her comfort zone and take some risks. She learns to overcome the obstacles ahead of her and finds love in the most unexpected of people. She also learns some valuable life lessons that she will carry with her as she slowly rebuilds her life by taking risks. Sometimes you need to get lost to find yourself.

Here is the official synopsis of the movie shared by Netflix:

“Helen (Ellie Kemper) has always lived her life as far from the edge as possible. Finding herself newly divorced and a little lost, Helen decides she needs a reset and signs up for the “Adventure of a Lifetime!” The adventure is a backcountry survival course hiking the Appalachian Trail with a group of oddball strangers. From the beginning, Helen’s plan to be the best hiker is tested and she finds more than just herself in the wilderness. Based on the wildly popular novel by Katherine Center, Happiness For Beginners reminds us that sometimes you have to get lost before you’re found.”

Related: Why Keanu Reeves Should Get More Credit for His Rom-Coms

Happiness for Beginners: The Cast and Crew

Netflix

Ellie Kemper will be our leading lady for this movie, playing the protagonist Helen Carpenter. She is best known for her role as Erin Hannon in the hit television series The Office and Becca in the film Bridesmaids and Kimmy Schmidt in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Luke Grimes will star as Jake, Helen’s male lead and love interest.

Grimes is a popular actor in drama television series, such as Kayce Dutton in Yellowstone and James Kent in True Blood. The film will be produced by Geoff Linville, Berry Meyerowitz, and Vicky Wight. The executive producers are Katherine Center, Jeff Sackman, and Larry Greenberg.

Also, part of the cast is Alexander Koch (Junior Rennie in Under the Dome) as Helen’s younger brother Duncan. Nico Santos (Oliver T’sien in Crazy Rich Asians) plays the character of Hugh. Blythe Danner (Dina Byrnes in Meet the Parents and its sequels) will be Gigi. Aaron Weiner (Beau Kovac in The Big Door Prize) takes on the role of Mike.

Shayvawn Webster (Detective Dani Vertiz in Lawn & Order) will be Windy. Esteban Benito (Diego Padilla in the show One Life to Live) is playing Mason. Ben Cook (Henry in the show Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin) is Beckett. Gus Birney (Erin in the show Bloodthirsty Hearts) will be Kaylee. Julia Shiplett (Monica in the short film Champagne & Charades) plays Sue.

Happiness for Beginners: Release Date

Netflix

Be sure to mark your calendars for the summer of 2023! Netflix announced that Happiness for Beginners will stream on Thursday, July 27. With the setting being mostly outdoors, this will surely be the perfect rom-com to watch during the summer. Be sure to have your popcorn (with movie theater butter) and other snacks for a chill summer movie night. This movie will also be perfect as a date-night watch! There is no official trailer for the film, however. You will just have to take our word for it until we finally get a peak.

Related: Movies That Completely Changed the Book’s Ending

Everything Else We Know

Netflix

Happiness for Beginners is based on the 2015 novel of the same title by Katherine Center. The film will be written and directed by Vicky Wight. Wight also wrote and directed a movie based on Center’s 2013 novel The Lost Husband back in 2020. In addition, Center will be an executive producer for Happiness for Beginners. Filming took place between September and November 2021 in Stamford, Connecticut.

While there is no official trailer for the film just yet, we speculate that one will come around June or early summer in general. The photos alone show a wonderful group of cast members who are all ready to do some hiking.

Will Helen be the best hiker of the bunch like she intends to do? Will Jake distract her from her ambitious goal? Just what awaits these hikers in the woods? And will there be more than one romantic pair in the movie? We will have to find out this coming July!