What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Illicit Happiness of Other People
Manu Joseph · Book · 2013
If you loved The Illicit Happiness of Other People, start with A Serious Man (2009) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Illicit Happiness of Other People across media.
If The Illicit Happiness of Other People hooked you, you will appreciate these stories exploring the devastating, darkly comedic complexities of unraveling family secrets.
Films on the same thread
A Serious Man
Film · 2009
Shares 2 threads with The Illicit Happiness of Other People: Existential Crisis, Dark Comedy.
Much like The Illicit Happiness of Other People, this film captures the existential dread of a man searching for meaning while his domestic life collapses into absurd, tragicomic chaos.
Arsenic and Old Lace
Frank Capra · Film · 1944
Shares 2 threads with The Illicit Happiness of Other People: Family Secrets, Dark Comedy.
This classic mirrors the way The Illicit Happiness of Other People juxtaposes dark, unsettling family secrets with a sharp, biting sense of humor regarding the people closest to us.
Shadow of a Doubt
Alfred Hitchcock · Film · 1943
Shares 2 threads with The Illicit Happiness of Other People: Loss of Innocence, Family Secrets.
You will recognize the chilling investigative tension from The Illicit Happiness of Other People as a young protagonist slowly uncovers the disturbing, hidden life of a beloved family member.
Silver Linings Playbook
David O. Russell · Film · 2012
Explores: Mental Health Recovery, Second Chances, Unconventional Romance.
This story echoes the dysfunctional family dynamics found in The Illicit Happiness of Other People, focusing on the painful, often messy journey toward reconciliation after a mental health crisis.
Series on the same thread
Utopia
Dennis Kelly · Series · 2013
Explores: Government Conspiracy, Paranoia, Moral Ambiguity.
The way The Illicit Happiness of Other People uses a mysterious creative work to trigger a spiral of truth-seeking is mirrored here through a graphic novel-driven conspiracy.
Maniac
Patrick Somerville · Series · 2018
Shares a thread with The Illicit Happiness of Other People: Dark Comedy.
Just as The Illicit Happiness of Other People examines the fallout of existential angst, this series explores the surreal, dark consequences of individuals attempting to fix their broken lives.
Patrick Melrose
David Nicholls · Series · 2018
Explores: Trauma, Addiction, Upper-class dysfunction.
This series captures the same raw, dark humor and trauma found in The Illicit Happiness of Other People, focusing on the long-term impact of family dysfunction and personal recovery.
Arrested Development
Mitchell Hurwitz · Series · 2003
Shares a thread with The Illicit Happiness of Other People: Dark Comedy.
If the chaotic family interactions in The Illicit Happiness of Other People resonated with you, this show offers a similarly sharp, comedic look at how families collapse under pressure.
Podcasts on the same thread
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
This podcast explores the same fascination with provincial life and tragic irony that defines The Illicit Happiness of Other People, blending investigation with a distinct, irreverent comedic perspective.
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
These stories capture the experimental, sometimes jarring shifts in tone that made The Illicit Happiness of Other People so compelling, focusing on the deeper complexities of the human condition.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the premise of The Illicit Happiness of Other People?
The Illicit Happiness of Other People follows Ousep as he investigates the life of his seventeen-year-old son, Unni. After Unni commits a terrible act, Ousep discovers a comic strip that serves as the only clue, leading him to uncover a family secret.
Who is the central character investigating the mystery in The Illicit Happiness of Other People?
Ousep is the central character in The Illicit Happiness of Other People. He is described as a nocturnal anarchist who begins to unravel the truth about his son, Unni, after the teenager does something terrible and leaves behind a cryptic comic strip.
What is the significance of the comic strip in The Illicit Happiness of Other People?
In The Illicit Happiness of Other People, the comic strip drawn by Unni is the primary clue to his actions. Ousep finds the strip after his son does something terrible, and it becomes the focal point for his investigation into the extraordinary life of his son.
Does The Illicit Happiness of Other People involve family conflict?
Yes, family conflict is central to The Illicit Happiness of Other People. Ousep is a nocturnal anarchist married to a woman who fantasizes about his early death, and his investigation into his son Unni's life eventually reveals a secret that shakes the entire family.