Written and directed by David O. Russell, JOY is among many films which have been recognised this year by the HFPA, receiving many nominations in different categories and obtaining an Oscar for “Actress in a Leading Role”.
Loosely based on the life of the American inventor, businesswoman and entrepreneur Joy Mangano, and the invention of the household gadget that made her famous, JOY is a tale about how difficult it actually was, and still is, for women to be taken seriously, to achieve their goals and to thrive in a man’s world.
Joy grew up with the idea that with her hands and her creativity she could do everything. Motivated by her grandmother (whose voice that tells Joy’s story) to be better, she believes that everything is possible if you only try your hardest. However, life is not always fair, and Joy has to deal with her dysfunctional family: her mother lives her life on a bed watching telenovelas, because they show brave women who are fully in charge of their lives and who will never be left behind by their husbands. Her father, after the divorce, moves from one relationship to the other and every time, as soon as the relationship ends, he is sent back home to his daughter. Joy’s life is a whirlwind of unsuccessful moments, and not even her creativity helps her, until she invents her self-wringing miracle mop.
From that point, pushed by her grandmother, she does everything in her power to make her revolutionary invention a reality, to get it patented and sell it. However, everything has a cost and nothing is easy. Joy’s only strength is her perseverance and strong motivation to make her life better, and to provide for her children and her family.
She wants to fix everything and show that she is not just a dreamer …
David O. Russell’s signature is evident once again from the pace of the movie. The film moves from one scene to the other quickly, almost swiping the audience off their feet while following Joy’s story. The storyline is linear, but every once in a while, to give the background of the main characters, Russell uses flashbacks to show their past, mixing it with the present to give a small breather to the audience and make them understand what drives the characters’ actions.
The cast, mostly made up of actors who have worked several times with the director in the past, work perfectly together. Jennifer Lawrence’s lead is strong, even though her performance is not one of her best so far. She understands Joy’s drive and her deepest fears, and she portrays them effortlessly. Her interpretation of Joy makes it possible for the audience to understand her and her desire to become someone, to be taken seriously in a world in which men are in charge and women cannot possibly compete with them. She completely immerses herself in her character, portraying her flaws and her perseverance. She wants to fix everything and show that she is not just a dreamer or an underachieving woman who is just looking for something to distract herself from her boring life.
Seeing her working with Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro creates some sort of familiarity that makes the story more believable. Their performances compliment hers, and together they create a well oiled machine that gives the perfect tempo to the film. The soundtrack, filled with well known old greatest hits, help the movie’s flow and in some scenes it even brings humour to dramatic or pivotal scenes.
All in all, JOY is a well made movie that without pretenses discusses a hot topic in our contemporary world. It doesn’t take itself too seriously – handling important issues with a soft but strong touch.
httpvh://youtu.be/uR-2TiQVY-k