Joy

I went to see Joy for two reasons - Jennifer Lawrence and Jennifer Lawrence with Bradley Cooper. I think Lawrence is a great actress. She's a chameleon, she's able to pour herself into any role and make you believe. That's what a great movie actor does. In the movies she's starred with Bradley Cooper she has been marvelous. He is always good.

Her performance in Silver Linings Playbook was only exceeded by her extreme character in American Hustle. Her other work in major pictures like X-Men and the Hunger Games has also been very good. Considering she's really only been in the majors since 2011 she's accomplished quite a lot. Bradley Cooper, well - he is always good.

That brings us to "Joy". Right off I will say it's not in the same league with Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. That does not mean it's not good at all. The story just isn't strong or possibly the pacing is a little off.

There was the requisite conflict and tension, but it never felt like the stakes were that high. I guess I found her relationship with her ex-husband to be so ridiculous that it bothered me. The character played by Di Nero was so derivative of all his work that it was also not in the least enhancing to the story in my opinion. If once Di Nero played his part with a different attitude it would be so astonishing I'd put him up for an Oscar myself.

It's a story of a woman who had a tinkerer's brain but found herself mugged by a life she could never get ahead of - the story of a lot of us, right - and how she finally rose above it. I assumed it was based on a true story, at least it really seemed that way. Joy 'invents' the self-wringing mop and by some minor miracle gets it on QVC home shopping TV.

I mentioned pacing earlier, I think that's what kept me from getting roped in and really feeling this movie. The very best parts of the movie were the scenes where Cooper and Lawrence were together, and there were too few of them. There was no guy gets the girl in the end, which may be a horrible cliche, but you almost longed for something to give the movie a heart.

The conclusion of the movie was probably the most unsettling, it was like the director said "ok guys let's wrap it up". There was no context given of how she ended up in the big backed chair holding all the cards.

Joy is certainly not a total flop. Parts of it were well done and well acted. I think the script was pretty weak and the direction was limp. In the end it needed more Cooper time because the Lawrence/Cooper combo shines.


2 of 5 stars


CW