What Happened Was revolves around a first date between two people who work at the same law firm. Jackie (Karen Silas), a secretary, is very nervous about the dinner date at her New York loft with Michael (Tom Noonan), a paralegal. She just doesn't know what to expect.
In this brilliantly executed psychodrama, writer and director Tom Noonan captures and conveys the role-playing, the awkward silences, the anxiety, and the surprises that are part and parcel of a first date. These two misfits stumble into some startling revelations about themselves but are unable to really connect with each other. What Happened Was is an odd and quirky film that speaks volumes about sexual politics and urban alienation.