Joy (I) (2015) User Reviews

JLaw sold me more than just a mop

[shinna-68429 · 8/10 · 30 December 2015]

I heard that this movie received negative reviews and feedback, so I was pleasantly surprised when I enJOYed the movie as much as I did.

There is no denying that the grand appeal to the movie was Jennifer Lawrence's compelling performance. The movie's story itself does not seem like it has much to offer. A poor, overworked woman selling a plastic mop does not sound that thrilling on paper. However, Lawrence takes it up a level to a powerful story about a woman never giving up and making her own opportunities happen against all odds. She takes you on an emotional journey from start to finish. Lawrence has the undeniable ability to make you ache along with her struggles. This can be uncomfortable for the helpless movie-goer, which leads me to wonder if this is the reason so many people had distaste for the film. No one wants to be told that hard work and strong will are not enough to succeed in this world, and, as a whole, "Joy" does just that.

That being said, "Joy" still left me feeling inspired. As a young, aspiration-filled woman myself, Lawrence's portrayal of Joy makes me feel like I can take on the world (which is dream that current American society consistently crushes on the daily). Lawrence's deadpan stares as she struts in and out of offices along with her turning point bathroom haircut, confirm that both Jennifer and Joy are a force to be reckoned with.

"Joy" also possesses a subtle humor, although many reviews seem to deny its existence. The purposefully over the top soap opera scenes obsessed over by bed-bound Terry (played by Virginia Madsen) are just enough to raise the otherwise dark tone.

Lawrence and David O. Russell take you on an emotional journey with "Joy." It may not be the uplifting movie you want this holiday season, but I would argue it is the movie you need.

Much better than I expected

[statman122 · 7/10 · 17 June 2020]

I should not have been surprised. Jennifer Lawrence is an AMAZING actor, one of the finest we have today. The story is not flashy, but the acting is superb. If you can enjoy movies without a lot of CGI and things blowing up, give this a try.

Inspirational and invigorating

[FrenchEddieFelson · 7/10 · 24 April 2019]

I confess an approach with a negative a priori. Having not really enjoyed Happiness Therapy (David O. Russell, 2012), I feared a film gathering the same director with the same main actors. And I was definitely wrong! First, Jennifer Lawrence plays admirably, and is excellently assisted by Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramirez, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen and Isabella Rossellini. This film is also a fabulous and inspirational advocacy to an escape attempt from a disadvantaged environment filled with zombies (the mother Terry in particular, and the father Rudy to a lesser extent) thanks to an obstinacy skilfully measured out and the wise help of her former husband Tony. This movie is invigorating!

Decent Half a Movie

[bkrauser-81-311064 · 6/10 · 10 January 2016]

Joy is a fine half a film. The performances all-around are strong, the story is uncommon enough to grab your attention, and keep you invested, and the direction is solid. With all that in mind, Joy still feels like a shallow version of what could have been. There is a reason why all the movie's Oscar buzz has all but dissipated in every category except a courtesy nod to Jennifer Lawrence as Best Actress; Why? You should read on.

Lawrence plays the titular character, a mother of two with a very complicated home life. Though divorced, her ex-husband (Ramirez) lives in the basement waiting for his singing career to take off. Though she has decidedly negative relationships with her parents, her shut-in mother (Madsen) lives with her and her father (De Niro) is a serial divorcée with a struggling auto repair shop. It's also the 1980's and she works the night shift for an Airline that's dramatically cutting back hours; yikes. The only thing she has going for her is she likes to tinker and has the work ethic to see a good idea through. So when she has a eureka moment after a failed excursion on her father's new girlfriend's boat, she quickly invents a household object that may just be her ticket out of systemic poverty.

I don't think I'm giving much away by saying the movie asks its audience to hinge their emotional cache on a mop. The self-wringing Miracle Mop to be exact, invented by honest-to-God real person Joy Mangano. Leave it to director David O. Russell to find a decent story in the life of a QVC luminary and keep it just this side of rational. The prologue of the film lovingly dedicates the movie to "daring women," which Joy certainly is but Russell wisely omits the last name to give the audience a universality. This too can be your story of success if you have grit and a good idea. It's a great theme sadly worth a much better movie.

Part of the problem is the pace. There are long stretches of improvisations that carry absolutely no emotional weight. Unlike American Hustle (2013) and Silver Linings Playbook (2012) where the rushed, overlapping dialogue and melodramatic mugging serves to highlight the immediacy of, say dealing with the mob, here there's nothing holding us to the characters and their goals...except Joy. Russell seems to be aware of his own style and juxtaposes the lives on screen with an 80's era soap opera which consumes the life of Joy's mother. The parallel is interesting in theory but the results deflate the proceedings.

Not usually the voice of hope, I really wanted to like this movie. A movie about the positives of hard work and entrepreneurship has not hit theaters since Pursuit of Happyiness (2006). Yet out of all modern directors working today, David O. Russell feels like a quixotic mouthpiece for such a hopeful theme. His movies always have an unabashed pessimism about human nature that undermines his characters with an almost Bunuelian sense of treachery. Even as far back as his Three Kings (1999) days there was a mercurial, bittersweet undercurrent to his work. Joy bares disappointment after disappointment to a breaking point most protagonists of this genre would buckle under. Then, as if to put a band-aid on an open gash, the movie ends with an epilogue that's pat to the point of flimflam.

www.theyservepopcorninhell.blogspot.com

Little plots make Little movies...

[Dr_Sagan · 6 January 2016]

This is a supposedly "inspirational" kind-of movie based on the life of Joy Mangano a business woman and inventor of home products.

As I'm reading this is far from the actual life of Mangano (who, unlike the Joy in the movie, she went to University and has a degree in business administration). It is more like a blend of the stories of other housewives turned to businesswomen (if you can believe that) and contains lots of fictional elements for dramatic purposes.

Nevertheless the plot is weak. So is the script. There isn't any actual moral here (like "Try and you will succeed"), and the narration of her grandmother dilutes any of that "moral" with too much "it is your destiny" crap.

Soooo, the movie is an empty shell (or should I say Sell, pun intended) but is it fun to watch? No. Not really.

The characters (including Robert De Niro's who plays her father, Elisabeth Röhm's who plays her half-sister, Virginia Madsen's who plays her mother and Isabella Rossellini's who plays her father's girlfriend and serves as the initial investor) are heavily unsympathetic.

The direction is blunt, the pace uneven (I wont spoil you but the resolution of all problems comes in just a few seconds near the end), the situations unbelievable (like going to the...bathroom and unveil a conspiracy by pure luck) etc.

Overall: A blunt movie with weak script and plot. The unsympathetic characters also make this unbearable. Not fun to watch and no true moral in this fictitious sequence of events.

More than I was expecting

[moveebuff1953 · 7/10 · 20 August 2017]

I was not drawn to Joy when it was first released because it just looked like a made for TV movie. I was surprised when Jennifer Lawrence was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance and still had no real desire to see Joy. Joy popped up on my new releases list on Apple TV today so I thought I would just watch the first 10 minutes to get an idea whether it would be watching or not. After 10 minutes I knew this was worth watching so my husband and I watched it and to both of our surprise we really liked it. Jennifer Lawrence was outstanding in her role as Joy. I've always thought Lawrence was an amazing actress since I saw her in Winter's Bone. She is the real deal. She is destined for more success with each film she is in. DeNiro is amazing as always. It is a wonderful story that should have received better reviews. I can understand why it wasn't a box office hit but it is definitely worth watching.

It's Not That Bad

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 12 September 2016]

Some people have really gotten riled up about this film. I love to watch Jennifer Lawrence, so I give it the benefit of the doubt from the beginning. This, of course, is the story of a smart woman who has done only things for the family, only to be used and abused by them. She has finally had enough and decides to move on an idea for a new kind of mop that will revolutionize housecleaning. The problem is getting connected with someone who will notice what she has done. She goes through all kinds of trials and pain and finally hits it big on QVC. However, there are people out there who know how to manipulate things to make life miserable for a neophyte. The problem with this movie is that nearly everyone is a jerk, only in things for themselves. Also, there is a kind of "deus ex machina" ending that makes things all hunky dory. I still haven't figured quite how she lands on her feet at the end and what the threat was. Still, it moves along pretty well and keeps one's interest. I did feel, however, that she should have shed the whole bunch of people who tried to stop her along the way.

Joy (2015)

[samgiannn · 6/10 · 16 April 2016]

Jennifer Lawrence made a name for herself by starring in The Hunger Games, and she's easily one of the most recognizable actresses in Hollywood. But what does she do now that The Hunger Games has ended? Her first post-HG project is reteaming with David O. Russell, director of Silver Linings Playbook and American Hussle, which netted her one Academy Award win and two nominations (including Joy). Although Joy wasn't as well-received as their other pairings, it still gives Jennifer Lawrence a movie to carry on her own without a franchise title to support her. Joy is a biographical film about the life of Joy Mangano, the inventor of the Miracle Mop, because evidently she needed a biopic. She grew up in a home where everyone around her had a dead-end job, and her grandmother was the only source of optimism for Joy. By the time she's 30, Joy is a divorced mother of two, working a dead-end job, her parents are divorced but still live with Joy, and her ex-husband lives in her basement. To add insult to injury, her sister constantly humiliates Joy in front of her children. The rest of the film is Joy overcoming these obstacles to become an overnight success with her first invention, the Miracle Mop, and selling the product on QVC. It is one of those inspirational bio-dramas we get a few times a year, but it never feels overly sappy or fake. The real issue is the film's first half which drug on about 20 minutes too long hammering in how much the characters' lives suck. Once Joy makes the prototype for the Miracle Mop and starts her business, the movie's quality picks up immensely. You actually start caring about the characters rather than just saying "Wow, their lives suck." The ensemble cast, which includes Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro, does typically great work and salvages the movie's slower parts. Joy is definitely one of those movies that you really go see for the cast, but it's often fun to watch Joy's race to the top even if it takes a long time for her to start.

2nd half of film was lacking in story line development

[sjdickens-83842 · 6/10 · 26 December 2015]

The film was okay or what I would call "underwhelming". The first half of the film dragged out a bit and could have been condensed without losing any important information. The last half to a third of the film was glossed over missing out on details of how she moved on and became so successful. The storyline development was really lacking on the last part of the film. The first half is slow and somewhat overly detailed with monotonous information. At times it was repetitive and I wanted to "fast-forward" to move it along. We finally get to the point of the story where she takes control and then the story ending seems abrupt. Using a narrative to recap how she became successful was a disappointing way of bringing the story to a close. Could have been better. I left the theater not fully understanding what Joy's full success really was.

Not much in the way of joy here!

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 27 August 2020]

David O. Russell has made some lovely films with Jennifer Lawrence, such as "Silver Linings Playbook" and "American Hustle". And here, with Lawrence once again, he's given her an excellent role (that resulted in an Oscar nomination) but that's really about all. Unlike the other films, the rest of the characters are so unlikable and nasty that watching the film is akin to pouring salt into your eyes.....it's just not particularly nice nor pleasant. Now the characters in these other films were not exactly nice folks...but you felt compelled to watch them. Not as much here...mostly because these other characters tend to dominate the story instead of accentuating it in "Joy".

Joy is a character originally envisioned as a biography of real-life Joy Mangano--a woman who invented some labor-saving household items which have made her rich. But as the script was written, the story began to diverge more and more and more from Mangano's life...to the point where it's mostly fiction.

In this story, Joy (Lawrence) is the glue that tries to hold her very dysfunctional and chaotic life together. And, it's tough considering that Joy's family has little in the way of boundaries and Joy is working her butt off. For example, her parents divorced long ago...yet the pair moved in with Joy....and bring chaos to her life as they fight AND the parents both bring their boyfriends/girlfriends into the home! The bottom line is that practically everyone in the family makes great demands on Joy and they don't seem to care that this is destroying her. And, frustratingly, Joy is practically incapable of telling any of these jerks no! I think too much of the film focuses on this chaos, as I found myself tense and frustrated watching her life. I just wanted these folks to go away!

Eventually, like the real Joy, this Joy manages to take her great ideas and market them...and make money from them. Too bad she didn't use this money and power to get restraining orders to keep everyone from her family out of her life. And, too bad it took so long and we needed to cringe constantly at the family until this breakthrough EVENTUALLY occurred. But even then, the family seems to do their best to make Joy's idea fall flat.

The bottom line is that it can be tough to sell a story where you don't like anyone. It can work...but it's an uphill battle...and here it just didn't work well for me. And, I can see why this Russell film didn't do as well in theaters as his other collaborations with Lawrence....making less in the States than it cost to make. As it is, it's watchable but a bit of a disappointment. Slow and not at all a joy to watch! It at least earns a 5 because there are some nice performances. The film MIGHT have worked better had the first half of the movie been reduced significantly and the final portion accentuated further.

A nicely orchestrated, subtle story of female empowerment through realism and human interest

[StevePulaski · 7/10 · 25 December 2015]

It wasn't until about a week ago that I realized that I'd be seeing David O. Russell's "Joy" on Christmas Day and was simultaneously struggling to make heads or tails of the film's plot. The film's trailer seemed like a very low-key picture about a single mother's redemption via self-realization and determination. It wasn't until the first hour of the film did I realize this film was a biopic on Joy Mangano, the self-made millionaire who found overnight success on QVC selling the Magic Mop and other household appliances that made for convenience or ease of use.

Perhaps it's because of the general perception of biopics in American cinema being clichéd or far too common or the desire to make Mangano a more general character rather than a pop culture figure, but for whatever reason, the marketing team behind David O. Russell's latest film owe Mangano some kind of an apology. Not only was the promotion for this film so vague that it obscured her story to audiences, who may have even wanted to see the film, it also undermined what is otherwise a strong story about the cyclical patterns of being an entrepreneur in modern-day American and what it means to aspire to be more than a woman being forced into domesticity by restrictive parents.

As stated, the film follows Joy Mangano, played by Jennifer Lawrence, who is living every woman's worst nightmare - a single mother feeling anchored by her two young children, living in a house with her separated mother and father, in addition to her ex-husband and grandmother. Throughout her entire life, all Joy has tried to do is make her modest life work to the best possible degree, but she continues to get bogged down by poor circumstance no matter which way she chooses to go.

Her mother always taught her that she'd go to school and meet a fine young boy, have a few kids, and spend the remaining days of her life attending to a mid-sized home in addition to a few youngsters while her husband served as the breadwinner. Her father placed larger expectations upon her, despite quietly thinking that she couldn't bear such stress of maintaining a job and making a success out of herself. Most of this kind of external, outspoken negative and restrictive energy would have most women screaming about their own independence and their rightful freewill, but Joy just bottled it all up, saving it for a rainy day.

The aforementioned storm comes when Joy decides to capitalize off of an idea she had in her mind for a one-of-a-kind mop: it's a mop with a head that would be able to absorb the contents of a large room, be rung out without touching the mop-head itself, and have the same mop-head be detachable for washer/dryer use. The idea just seems crazy and logical enough to work, which leads Joy to creating prototypes for such an invention and attempting to sell them at K-Mart to no avail. With that, Joy is lucky enough to find Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper), an executive at the QVC network who helps give Joy the necessary publicity and exposure to make her invention a hit and propel her to overnight stardom.

"Joy" isn't your average story of rags-to-riches stardom, largely because the rags don't turn into longterm, or even momentary, riches. Every time Joy seems to get ahead, be it by achieving hundreds of thousands of sales of her mops on QVC or earning enough money to get out of debt, a new and uglier problem raises its head, be it the theft of her patent or her profits in some way. Joy makes multiple deals with the devil in terms of leaving herself vulnerable and helpless if things don't work out exactly the way she needs them to, including taking out a second mortgage against her home and borrowing copious amounts of money from her father's girlfriend all in the name of giving her daughters a better life.

The biggest setback with "Joy," other than the lack of confidence in its story judging by the film's approach and the fact that it undercuts Mangano's namesake and significance for so long, like it's ashamed it exists to tell her story, is the disjointed direction. For the first hour, Russell conducts this film like a soap opera, undoubtedly juxtaposing the film with the ridiculous soap opera Joy's mother watches on a regular basis, by introducing numerous characters and numerous dramatic situations. Halfway through the film, Russell abandons this style to focus on Joy's rise to fame and the multiple setbacks she faces in a cynical world that ostensibly doesn't want her to succeed. Such dichotomous approaches would've worked well if they had served as the thesis for the two-hour film, but with this approach, the film comes off as woefully disconnected and miscommunicated.

With all that in mind, "Joy" is well worth seeing because of the way it handles its titular character in a way that shows her as a victim to reality and a lack of true moral support, despite her own muted, personal desire to succeed in a hungry world. The idea of an underdog trying to succeed and take their bite out of a world where everyone is hungry for their own piece isn't new; Russell's decision to focus on a real-life figure clawing her way to the top whilst getting spat in the face no matter what she does and tying it together in a way that emphasizes female empowerment in a way that doesn't feel like a motivational poster is, in fact, new. The only thing you, the viewer, is asked to do is forgive a few narrative setbacks and mixed delivery. As always, this cluttered Christmas Day weekend, the choice is yours.

Joy-less

[ozjosh03 · 4/10 · 27 December 2015]

It's not hard to see why this movie divides people. Some will always find a tale of an under-dog's trial over adversity compelling, no matter how clumsily it's told. And some will find a story about the manufacture of a mop dull, no matter how charismatic the characters or inspirational the telling of the tale. The problem here is that charisma and inspiration are in short supply. David O. Russell doesn't make much of the real strengths of the story. And he can't resist imposing his trademark style on characters and a story that really don't either warrant or suit it. So the characters are more than a little grotesque around the edges; the situations are all heightened, even given an absurdist spin; and the facts are never allowed to get in the way, even when they might actually strengthen the story. So much of Joy is desperately predictable, which makes for dispiriting viewing. And the real moments of surprise or pathos are just so much grist to the Russell mill. Jennifer Lawrence somehow shines through in the lead, and Isabella Rossellini does her best to enliven her scenes, but that's about where the positives end. For the most part, Joy is a tedious mess. While it's a story that would probably never have been told without David O. Russell wanting to enhance it with his schtick, it's a story I wish they'd entrusted to anyone other than David O. Russell.

One of the Very Worst Films of 2015 But I'll Buy the Mop!

[JasonDanielBaker · 26 December 2015]

Blue-collar visionary Joy (Jennifer Lawrence) has an idea for a revolutionary new home-cleaning product. With the help of her failed lounge singer ex-husband Tony (Edgar Ramirez) and despite the machinations of her crazy family she pitches the product to a home shopping channel mogul (Bradley Cooper).

The film Joy is what you would get if ingested psychedelic mushrooms, wrote an infomercial about Miracle Mop and got an excellent cast of Hollywood stars to appear in it. Nothing is more absurd than the very idea of this movie getting made as a wide release feature with the exception of the inexplicable critical acclaim it has garnered.

Auteur David O.Russell (Who wrote, produced & directed) has been so successful in recent years with films like Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle that it has perhaps made him complacent and even bored. Sometimes when that happens an artist can go off on an experimental tangent. Equally as often the same artist can take on a challenge that they shouldn't. That is what Russell did here in trying to turn an idea that wouldn't normally have been considered for a movie of the week on the Lifetime network and making a feature film out of it.

I feel like seeing it again just to make sure the actors were really saying the goofy lines of dialogue I heard. Some of them appear to be gleaned from a motivational speaker's teleprompter. Others sound like what you hear in a dubbed version of an awful Mexican soap opera. I'm embarrassed for the distinguished cast that they had to try to make sense of this weirdness.

Tinged with Fellini-esque surrealism the bizarre rhythm of sequence suggests it was absolutely butchered during editing by somebody on speed, then Ritalin, then speed again. I often found it incoherent. It probably made perfect sense to drug users.

If the film accomplishes one thing it is that everyone who sees it is gonna wanna buy a Miracle Mop. I started scouting for one online right after I saw it.

Mining the Hollywood playbook for a deliberately "inspirational" film

[youngcollind · 6/10 · 8 February 2022]

It's glossy, light viewing and easy to see where it's going before it even gets started. The filmmakers adeptly play with the classic rags to riches formula, effectively holding your attention if not offering many surprises.

Lots of plot points seemed overly convenient and unrealistic, which is odd given the film's basis on a nearly banal true story. I'm sure many liberties were taken with the truth to fit the exaggerated "always darkest before the dawn" story arc they were aiming to achieve.

As a living embodiment of unattainable celebrity perfection, it's interesting how Jennifer Lawrence continues to pursue these underdog roles. It's a testament to her craft that she can convincingly portray these downtrodden characters without a hair on her head ever feeling out of place. It's a little less convincing that the 25 year old would be a mother of three, already pushed to her breaking point by life.

The moral of the film seems a little shallow. Much like the problematic Ugly Duckling fable, it's only really comforting if you're a lucky swan, while the majority of us will live on as crappy ducks. Finding inspiration in this film feels akin to being inspired by someone who's won the lottery. I understand Joy worked hard for what she achieved, but so do a lot of people who will never end up multi-millionaires. More than anything, it highlights the fundamental flaw at the core of the American dream.

somewhat bumpy road to success

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 28 July 2016]

Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence) was the high school valedictorian but stayed home to care for her divorcing parents (Robert De Niro, Virginia Madsen). She finds herself stuck in life. Her ex-husband Tony Miranne (Édgar Ramírez) is living in the basement. Her mother watches soaps all day. Her house is falling apart. Her father is forced to live with her. He's closer to her older half-sister Peggy (Elisabeth Röhm). She has always invented but her family is not supportive. She comes up with a new mop. With money from her father's girlfriend Trudy (Isabella Rossellini) and help from everyone including best friend Jackie (Dascha Polanco), Joy struggles to navigate the business world. Tony gets her an interview with Neil Walker (Bradley Cooper), an executive at the new TV station QVC.

This is a family where everybody talks but nobody listens. Directer David O. Russell wants to make them funny but I find them mostly annoying. It's a bumpy road where the quirky humor doesn't work and the drama seems very standard. There is an interesting dramatic story here but it's only the last act where it gets compelling. Russell overwhelms a good dramatic scene when her family forces her to go bankrupt with some badly overwrought writing. Then it goes into one of the best confrontation in the movie. This is a mostly flat movie that is highlighted by good work from Lawrence and a few good scenes.

Not bad and great performance from Jennifer Lawrence but a bit predicatable

[GailTaplin-98447 · 7/10 · 26 October 2020]

Watchable. Jennifer Lawrence is excellent, Bradley Cooper is good but dealing with a not very exciting plot and Mr DeNiro is his often portrayed, grumpy, miserable character so I felt very type cast. I felt the whole plot was not worthy of such a starry cast.

A great movie for all feminists

[sukanya-samy · 7/10 · 1 April 2016]

Joy is Jennifer Lawrence, nothing joyful about her life. The movie is actually about her struggles, about how everyone, including her family is trying to bring her down and how she copes with it. Because she is brilliant. Only her grandmother understands and knows that Joy is destined for greatness. If only Joy believed that herself.

The movie starts slow but picks up steam once Joy makes her first invention – The Magic Mop or that's what it is called in India. Now we love the magic mop here – especially my generation of women who are working and don't have too much time. Most of us have help in cleaning our houses but even the maids don't want to take pains to hand mop the house. Enter Magic Mop and its thousand variations. The easy way to clean the house. And to get to know that it was invented by a woman was just pure Joy.

Anyways, back to the movie. Joy has always been a creator unlike others in her family. At one point in time she is just so fed up of her life that she designs this mop. She draws it herself, does the first prototype herself and even gets a shot at selling her product at QVC. But nothing goes well for her. Without spoiling it for you, I would just say that all's well that ends well. She becomes the matriarch who supports her entire family once she becomes successful. It is loosely based on Joy Mangano who created the mop and it seems holds over 100 patents. Fascinating story hers as well. But that's for another blog.

Jennifer Lawrence according to me has done better in this kind of disturbed and a little crazy character. I liked her much better in Silver Linings Playbook or even American Hustle where the kind of crazy is at a different level. Realized that Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper are constant features in some of her best work – well they make a good team though Bradley Cooper and De Niro don't really share scenes in this one.

Lawrence is more subdued in this, more controlled somehow that was a little unsettling. Some of the scenes and plot twists were also a little unbelievable for me. But having said all of this, a very enjoyable movie. Like I said, give me a movie with a female lead and I will lap it up. So this review may be a little biased from that perspective.

Honoring Jennifer Lawerence's 29th birthday again and damn this movie is great!

[UniqueParticle · 9/10 · 16 August 2019]

Only seen Joy once before this cause I bought it on iTunes a few years ago and happily watching again because Jennifer is perfection! She deserves everything good in her life and so does the Director David O. Russell! Great story about Joy inventing the best mop ever while having family complications meanwhile trying to be successful.

So well filmed even if it sometimes keeps your attention at bay. This is the kind of movie that deserves award nods even if it doesn't achieve them, in my eyes it's a spectacular drama! I also wanna mention its got one of the slickest soundtracks; I love this movie for what it is!!

A so-so dramedy saved by Lawrence's spirited turn

[eddie_baggins · 6/10 · 7 June 2016]

After the one-two double whammy of the both equally praised and equally overrated Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, oddball director David O. Russell's has taken his as per usual A list cast on a journey to of all things, the world of mops.

Mop enthusiasts don't often get the chance to see their beloved cleaning tools take centre stage in big budgeted Hollywood affairs so Joy, the at one stage mooted biopic of Miracle Mop inventor and TV sales star Joy Mangano, will likely be quite the event for them whilst for the rest of us (as Joy's so-so reception over X-Mas will attest to), Joy will be a curious little experience that is highly unlikely to leave a lasting impression.

A very uneasy mix of strange Russell infused comedy and family/trial over the odds drama, Joy has what seems like on face value the elements to create a really special something but with a bunch of characters that feel either underused or just not at all likable, Joy's central story of Jennifer Lawrence's hard done by mother and inventor Joy's journey with her wondrous new self-wringing mop isn't the stuff of thrilling or inspiring big budgeted film making.

Teaming up with Russell for a third time, Lawrence certainly is Joy's biggest win. Her Oscar nominated turn as Joy is another finely tuned example of her talents as an actress that can see her change from comedy to dramatics in the blink of an eye and Joy is her biggest test as an actress since her breakout turn in Winter's Bone and she's more than up for the challenge. With Lawrence in awards worthy form, Joy's lack of meaty narrative drive is further hampered by an underused support cast from Bradley Cooper's TV big man Neill Walker, Robert De Niro's frustrating fatherly figure Rudy and Point Break star Edgar Ramirez's odd turn as Joy's ex-husband Tony who all seem to be floating along in a plot line that was perhaps as uninteresting to them as it is to us.

In some ways just as good as American Hustle (which isn't saying much) and better than the downright tortuous Silver Linings Playbook, Joy is a watchable experience thanks to a spirited Jennifer Lawrence turn and a few nice moments but overall in the big scheme of things, Joy is yet another example of Russell's flaws as a filmmaker that will eventually catch him out badly after a string of wrongly praised oddities.

3 melodrama loving mothers out of 5

Outstanding in dealing with issues of self worth and confidence

[svonsawilski · 10/10 · 29 January 2018]

Joy, the protagonist of the film carries the other characters when they can't make things work. She makes things work for all of them and us. This process is refreshingly unique in that she constantly thinks on her feet and resolves situations with surprising results. The suspense of the plot allows the audience to be involved in not only her journey but those of her family as well. Encouraging everyone to reach out for that special gift.

I'm in trouble again

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 30 December 2015]

I guess I'll be in trouble for liking this film, directed by David O. Russell and starring Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert de Niro, Virginia Madsen, Elizabeth Rohm, Diane Ladd, and Isabella Rossellini.

I wanted to see this film for several reasons. First, I liked American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook, with the same star actors and directed by Russell.

Secondly, we have Joy's Huggable Hangers, and I have a friend who owns all of her products.

Third, I run a website for the soap opera General Hospital, and three of the actors are in the film...playing soap actors.

This is her story, and to me anyway, it's an impressive one. When the story opens, she's a divorced mother of two with her ex-husband living in the basement, and she works for an airline. Her mother stays in her room all day watching soap operas, a father who has just moved in with her, and she has a grandmother who thinks Joy is going to achieve great things.

It's the story of somebody coming from nothing and creating great success, the underdog who gets the American dream against all odds.

Jennifer Lawrence is such a likable and pretty actress, it's no wonder she constantly captivates her audience. She rings true as a harried mother in a house that's falling around her and a father that loses his temper and breaks things. When Joy faces defeat, you really feel for her.

Right now, she's the ingénue of the month, as once Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, Gwenyth Paltrow, Rene Zwelleger, Anne Hathaway, etc. - in everything. The question is, can she grow into leading lady roles? I think so. We won't see her as much as we will be seeing Bradley Cooper, he being a man, but she'll be around.

Bradley Cooper is another one, one of the most likable actors ever. His character runs his business with a velvet glove rather than an iron fist - he's not a screaming bombastic man, but he knows what he wants and demands it.

The rest of the cast all turned in fine performances, with Isabella Rossellini as her father Pat's (de Niro's) girlfriend.

Entertaining and also inspiring, this is a sweet film with no CGI, no nudity, and no profanity. No wonder people hate it.

This isn't Citizen Kane, it isn't Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It's a simple, sometimes sentimental story of a woman who never gave up.

Absolutely Disappointing

[claudio_carvalho · 3/10 · 5 February 2016]

"Joy" is one of the most disappointing films of the year (if not the most). The great cast with names such as Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen and Isabella Rossellini gives the sensation to the viewer that "Joy" might be a great film. However, the storyline of a creative woman that lives with her dysfunctional family and invents a mop, becoming a successful woman, has a boring and dull story and consequently screenplay; in addition, the soundtrack is annoying. In the end, "Joy" is a waste of time and talented cast. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "Joy: O Nome do Sucesso" ("Joy: The Name of the Success")

A Joyless Experience!

[CinemaClown · 29 December 2015]

From the director of The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook & American Hustle, Joy advertises itself to be a biographical comedy-drama but isn't faithful enough to qualify as a biography, has nothing but disappointment in store if what you are looking for is a compelling drama & forgets midway that it's supposed to be a comedy as well.

Joy tells the story of its titular character, a divorced mother of three children who attempts to overcome the overwhelming obstacles in her personal & professional life by bringing her invention into the commercial market, which becomes an overnight success and marks the first step in her rise from a nobody to the founder & matriarch of a powerful business dynasty.

Written & directed by David O. Russell, the first act of Joy has no trouble at all in getting on your nerves for Russell goes horribly smug about his ability to create interesting characters and overburdens the plot with way too many irrelevant people, who never for once allow its titular character to breathe comfortably, plus their contribution amounts to pretty much nothing in the end.

Russell tries too hard in the beginning because of which the supporting cast he introduces us to turn end up being annoying much earlier than expected, thus leaving the responsibility of taking the story past the finish line on its leading lady. Editing also is an issue for the story meanders on moments that are tiresome, Cinematography adds nothing to the experience, and even the soundtrack isn't effective.

Coming to the performances, Joy features quite an ensemble in Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Edgar Ramirez, Isabella Rossellini, Bradley Cooper & others, amongst whom only Lawrence is able to deliver the goods. The supporting cast is anything but supportive, mostly due to the lack of characterisation in Russell's script, and while Lawrence tries to do whatever she can, she doesn't have enough material to work with.

On an overall scale, Joy could've been a highly fascinating biopic for there are tiny glimpses of a hidden gem in its content but instead, it turns out to be an absolute mess that manages to stay afloat only due to Lawrence's commitment. The first act is annoying, the middle part is its only saviour while the third act arrives too abruptly & ends everything a tad too quickly. Definitely the most underwhelming of all Russell-Lawrence collaborations, sitting through Joy was a joyless experience.

Too many distractions that limit the film's potential.

[CineMuseFilms · 6/10 · 11 February 2016]

There is so much to like and so much to dislike in Joy (2015). It offers intriguing and unflattering insights into the business ethics and inner workings of television's high-volume shopping channels, but the novelty dims as the pretty-housewife-turns-mega-entrepreneur story gives way to your standard "anyone can be President" soap, and with a mop would you believe. The acting is sharp, controlled, and often humorous in a downtown Bronx kind of way, and the regular sideshows into feminine vulnerabilities and strengths ensures Joy has a place on the shelves of feminist film, but only just.

There are too many distractions that limit the film's potential to provide insight into the human spirit under extreme adversity. If Joy were Jim or some other male the story would flop like her mops, so it rests entirely on the shoulders of the implacable Jennifer Lawrence to make us see beyond the film's clichés about the crushing effects of American capitalism on the individual. The American Rifle Association must have leapt for Joy when she admits to feeling better after shooting a few rounds to relieve her pent-up anger about male treachery and being told go home to tend the family. Overall, this is an entertaining, if somewhat clichéd story of feminine triumphalism in the fabricated-value world of television commerce.

Soap Opera Movie - Too Long - Expected More

[akcenat · 6/10 · 18 January 2016]

Joy is the biography movie about the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business empire...

This is David O. Russell's latest attempt to recreate magic of "Silver Linings Playbook". But sometimes, you can't return the wheel of life. Actually, if anything, "Joy" makes me appreciate the Directors brilliance of "Silver Linings Playbook". "Joy" is watchable, a bit inspiring, but at the end it's soap opera version of "Erin Brokovich" with almost cartoonish characters.

You won't be missing out much if you decide to skip this one. Much better, look for your old copy of "Erin Brokovich".

Rating:6