Happy Ending

Release Technique

Brad, an out-of-work opera singer is given an ultimatum by his modern dancer/massage therapist girlfriend, Lisa, to get a job in one month or she's done with him. He'll only take the most avant garde work, so he never has money and she pays for him. He refuses to do musicals and bristles at her suggestion he make money singing on a cruise ship. Later, his gay friend, Nate, suggests he try doing massage like Lisa. When Brad protests that he’d need to get certified, Nate counters that no one ever looks at your certificate. “Give a good massage. flirt with the rich, older ladies and watch the tips roll in.”

Brad is so good with the first massage he gives, his client reaches climax without his intending it. He doesn’t want to do it again, but a run in with his landlord whom he owes two months rent convinces him to take another client. When he’s asked for the special touch, he claims innocence. The woman, a shy young widow, is horribly embarrassed and asks him to leave. He takes pity on her and gives the happy ending. Word of mouth spreads. Overnight, his voicemail is full.

After an awkward run in with a client’s husband at her home, Brad asks Nate to find and manage an office for him. Nate picks an abandoned internet startup he used to work at and hires a receptionist, Jenny - a beautiful redhead whom Brad falls for as they spar like an old Tracy/Hepburn couple.

He gets so much business Jenny and Nate convince him to hire more masseurs. Nate brings in some nimble fingered pianists and Brad tries to teach them but soon discovers they're all gay. Brad says it’s impossible, but Jenny comes to the rescue and trains them after demanding a percentage of profits.

The cash starts rolling in as women’s lives are transformed. One angry husband almost ruins it all. His fat, depressed wife was so revitalized that she lost 80 pounds, got happy and left him. He wants a massage to be transformed just like her. Brad explains they cater to women only. The husband threatens to report them to the police when he figures out what’s going on. Though it seems an empty threat, he does report them and a vice squad goes in for a sting operation. But the female officer they send in to bust them has a full service massage so pleasurable that she doesn’t turn them in.

Along the way, Brad takes Lisa out – wooing her like a new lover. He shows off his newfound wealth by taking her to fancy restaurants to which he always arrives late. Lisa thinks he's dealing drugs when he can't explain where the cash is coming from. She also suspects he’s having an affair. Brad gives a massage to the wife of Philip Glass – a big composer he’s wanted to work with. She gets him an audition out of it that very night – the same night as the end of his month-long ‘probation’. He’s been promised sex as a reward to successfully getting work, but he goes to the audition anyway.

He gets the lead, but stands up Lisa. Lisa’s so frustrated with Brad that a friend tells her about his massage place – not knowing it’s Brad’s. When he doesn’t show, she makes an appointment. Lisa goes for a massage under a false name, but once there hears people talking about Brad and grows suspicious. Brad realizes she’s there and tries to hide. Eventually, he's busted. At that moment the vice squad finally raids the building, demands to see the massage certificate and arrests everyone.

Jenny and Lisa are placed in the same jail cell. Lisa figures out Brad has a thing for Jenny and Jenny and Lisa get into a huge fight. Later, in court, Jenny shows her true feelings for Brad. They’re all acquitted of the main charges and afterwards in the hall, Brad apologizes to Jenny and kisses her.

A month later, Nate has opened up a new pleasure palace that includes instruction to men. All the old clients are happy. Brad and Jenny start their new life together. Brad has realized he wanted the opera job for the wrong reasons and that he can be even more happy at his new job, happily singing and dancing "I get a Kick Out of You" with Jenny on a cruise ship as they sail into the sunset.