Movie Review | Joy (Lights, Camera, Action!)

By Freda Cooper 28.12.2015 1

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Joy (UK Rating: 12A)

Silver Linings Playbook didn't just catapult Jennifer Lawrence onto the A list, it also gave the trio of Lawrence, actor Bradley Cooper, and director David O. Russell the cinematic 'Midas Touch.' It seemed they could do no wrong, and their next film together, American Hustle, just confirmed that. Now their third film, Joy, arrives in UK cinemas on New Year's Day, and the American critics have done the unthinkable - given it a hard time.
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Joy focuses on the story of Joy Mangano, the struggling mother of three who invented the Miracle Mop and became a highly successful businesswoman. Whilst not an obvious subject for a movie, that doesn't worry Russell. On the surface, it sounds like a biopic, but his approach is less than conventional, and this is no inspirational depiction of the American dream. He's come at it from a more oblique angle, one that's fascinating for its deliberate upturning of convention, yet one that doesn't always come off. The result is a mix of black comedy, family drama, and business story, and the fact that it's based on a true story is almost incidental.

Since childhood, Joy (Lawrence) was always told by her beloved grandmother Mimi (Diane Ladd) that she was special. She certainly had a knack for useful inventions, but 20 years later she's going nowhere. Now a divorced mother of three, with her ex-husband living in the basement and her mother (Virginia Madsen) constantly watching TV in the spare bedroom, she's the only person that keeps the deeply dysfunctional family going. Inspired by an accident, she creates a new type of mop. Getting funding proves hard, but once her father's (Robert De Niro) girlfriend backs her, she gets a toe in the door on shopping television. Several false starts later, the product sells like hot cakes, but she learns about business the hard way and bankruptcy looms.


 
The first third of the film concentrates on Joy's family, to such an extent that the audience wonders where it's all heading, and that's Russell's cue to do something different, because he then takes a look inside Joy's childhood memories. Each one is prompted by something small, just like in real life, and while this almost stream of consciousness style may sound an odd fit, it works seamlessly and makes complete sense. Joy's back story is essential to understanding the film, especially her constantly fighting parents who are so determined to hurt each other that they end up destroying the little girl's models and creations, and breaking her heart.

That said, it is the centre section of the film that holds together best, with Joy getting her big break on shopping TV. It may have something to do with this being the part of the film that brings Lawrence and Bradley Cooper together on the screen. He plays the executive at QVC ("Quality, Value, Convenience" ) who believes in her, but it's always a strictly business relationship. Their on-screen chemistry is undeniable, but this is also the part of the film with the strongest narrative drive and a real sense of direction.

One of the genuine pleasures of the film is seeing Robert De Niro in a part that both stretches him and allows him to show what he can really do. It's a world away from some of his more recent work and a powerful reminder of his talent as an actor. The other reason for watching is Jennifer Lawrence herself. For somebody who's not long turned 25, she displays a remarkable maturity in a role where she has to move from somebody of her own age to a woman in her mid-30s and mid-40s, and she does it beautifully.

Critics in America have described the film as a "let down" or "major disappointment" that generally lacks direction. It's true that it's patchy to the point of lumpy at times, but it's redeemed to a certain extent by the quality of its three big players. Russell is definitely guilty of relying on them too much to hold it together, though.

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6/10
Rated 6 out of 10

Good

Joy - the person and the film - isn't full of the spirit that the title implies, even ironically. Its humour is dark and there's no warm, uplifting feeling to go with Joy's success when it comes, despite her having fought so hard to win it. There is satisfaction in her achievements, though, and it is all part and parcel of a film that is clearly flawed but has the courage to do things differently…rather like Joy herself.

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Comments

This was indeed such an up and down movie. It started funny, but then dragged, then the part where Bradley Cooper came in redeemed it, but then it became a bit "Hallmark DVD Special" for a while, then it dragged again, and then the ending was simply stunning.

What an odd movie - I've not had so many ups and downs since...I can't actually remember!

Adam Riley [ Director :: Cubed3 ]

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