Joy

I just got done watching the movie Joy (2015). I'm not sure what many other thought about this movie but I found it very well made and probably one of the best movies of 2015. I would say it is a favorite of mine now.

To me the dialog for each of the characters is so well done! It has a really good blend of reality and acting within the entire story. I also love how it was filmed with Kodak film. The entire look and sound of the movie is great. I might be liking this movie too much but to me it has such a great clash of voice over, image and music along with a story that is based on reality that really makes it pop. It's not flashy and that is the appeal.

What do you all think about Joy?

I. LOVED. JOY.

What did I like about it? Well, it was a very fresh feeling film. It didn't fall on a lot of character or plot tropes that you would expect. You think you are good at predicting what's gonna happen? Subverted expectations at every turn.

At the risk of turning some people off by bringing up gender, I think this film did a really really good thing in that department. And "as a woman" it brought me more, ahem, joy that I would have thought that a film like this was made.

Russell made a film where the main character happened to be female, but in all other ways the lead was treated/presented like a male lead. It was a film without ANY love interest for the lead. This is rare enough when the lead is male, but basically a unicorn in a female-led film. This is kind of what I meant by subverting tropes. When the ex-husband enters the film, you just know they are gonna get back together or have some drama in that department. NOPE. Just a great adult friendship that is loving and supportive. The trailer would want you to believe that Bradley Cooper was the love interest. NOPE. In fact there isn't even a HINT of sexual tension in any of their scenes together. Just the depiction of a good business relationship and mutual respect.

No character in this film is without flaws, and yet the story isn't about the conflict between them. It's about the conflict between Joy and herself, and Joy and "the world."

...I dunno but, "as a woman" it just made me feel really good to see a female be a maker of things and be really smart and strong and kind and creative and together and yeah, it just was really really great. I just want to show this film to every young girl everywhere.

I'll get off my soapbox now, but I do feel this film deserves credit where credit is due, even if we're not supposed to talk about "women's issues" on the internet anymore.

Oh, and all that aside I just thought it was a really fun watch, which is all it takes for me to give a thumbs up these days. David O. is still good in my book.

I wrote this movie off after hearing a couple of bad reviews.
Now I see two good ones.

You really can't trust anything you read on the internet.

Dreadylocks, you hit the nail on the head! As a guy I am tired of seeing movies with the same plot lines especially when it comes to women and relationships. The character Joy seemed to be highlighting more than just the romantic part of a woman and it's great to see. She was passionate and aggressive when it came to business but still had the love of her family.

Also as a movie I got to say I wish the male characters were stronger! Her father seemed really damaged. Her ex-husband was loving but didn't really have a steady job. To get caught up in the genders though is a trap because it really is about a perseverance and being strong and loving at the same time.

I got to say the fact that it was based on a true story probably made the entire story that much more rich. There are so many great things about true events and this movie didn't jazz it up too much even though some of the supporting actors were really funny at time and seemed to play that up. Also the soap opera was hilarious. This is a movie I'm going to have to watch again.

sfoster, Yeah give it a watch. I heard some mixed reviews about this movie too and stayed away from it. It's way underrated to me. It's so hard to capture a real truth in movies and this is one of the closest movies to do that. Plus it just seems to start and end well.

This is a film I've been on the fence about watching. Looks like I'll have to check it out now though. Better go see if Redbox is carrying it yet.

After revisiting this movie and watching it for the second time I still enjoy it.

I got to say that there are a few small but important things I found a little disappointing though. After looking up info about the real Joy Mangano, the movie says she was valedictorian in High School as if that was her biggest educational highlight. The real Joy (according to wiki) got a business degree from Pace University. I wish the movie included that!