Review of Joy (2015) by Jonathan D — 04 Jun 2016

I went into this movie knowing nothing about its story. That turned out to be a good thing, especially since I came with patience, knowing how David O. Russell's last three films rewarded the patience to let things play out according to their own distinct rhythms.

So I'll leave this open ended for you, except to say that the first forty minutes or so deal with the difficult and disappointing life that Jennifer Lawrence's title character is coping with, but eventually a more traditional plot does develop. That extended first act is hardly a bore - Joy lives in a complicated family, some of which she's built, and some of which was built upon her, and as character work it is as engaging as anything in The Fighter or Silver Linings Playbook. Then things get kicked into a mode where she discovers her inner pluck, reminding me a little of "Julia and Julia" or "Erin Brockovich". Although the plot strengthens, the so does the importance of character.