Joy

The ambience of David O Russell’s Joy is much similar to Silver Linings Playbook. But the joy of what happens towards the end is more of a thrilling one in the case of Joy (SLP was more on the feel good side). With Jennifer Lawrence delivering a superb performance as the title protagonist, Joy is cheerful and real.

The movie is narrated from the perspective of Joy’s grandmother. Joy’s father and mother are divorced. Mother is always in front of the TV, stuck on the crap daily soaps. Her father is now dating an Italian woman after his 3^rd divorce and Joy herself is a divorcee and she also has to take care of her children. The movie’s plot basically is about Joy’s business venture to produce a floor mop. The difficulties she had to face in producing, funding and marketing that product and how the whole progress organically changes and shapes her as a successful business personality is what Joy talking about.

The middle class backdrop, disagreements in family, the nature of the characters etc. does put the movie in that same zone of SLP. While Silver Linings Playbook managed to picture more about the emotional side of characters, Joy is more interested on reaching the climax with that twist in tale. With performers adding that subtle humor, Joy is never a dull film.

Mr. Russell in that usual fashion builds the desperate situation of the leading lady by showing us her unbearable relatives. The conversations are witty and the characterizations are interesting. A good thing I felt about the story was that there wasn’t any specific agenda on establishing a relationship status for Joy and the character has been constructed as a strong individual. Cinematography style with steady cam shots was also nice.

Jennifer Lawrence once again delivers a topnotch performance as Joy and the chances for an academy award are there for sure. The character has different shades and the actress has shown great elegance in portraying. Robert De Niro was cool as the insensitive father. It was good to see Edgar Ramirez in a less intense role after Point Break. Bradley Cooper in that extended cameo like appearance was also graceful.

On the whole I would say Joy is definitely worth a joyful watch. If Silver Linings Playbook worked as a feel good emotional movie, this one from David O Russell is a feel good thriller one with a little suspense to make the climax interesting. Somewhere the movie reminded me of Rocket Singh.