Review of Joy (2015) by Wayne M — 04 Jan 2016

Joy was a hard film to rate. Mainly because it has many strengths but also a few weaknesses. It's probably a 3 1/2 film but I ended up giving it four stars because of the magnetic presence of Jennifer Lawrence.

She plays Joy, based on a true story, a self made woman who invented the Miracle Mop and who after many trials and tribulations made herself into a huge success. Lawrence is an actor who gives you the full spectrum of emotions and her performance is quite astounding.

But you get the feeling this script could have used more work. In parts it is heavy handed and a little obvious. And some of the early scenes are a little too over the top and messy. But the film hits stride when Bradley Cooper enters and we dive into the 'home shopping' story.

Still, this film is a fun ride with many enjoyable pieces and like all David O. Russell films he manages to tap into the human struggle in a positive way.