After Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, any combination of writer/director David O. Russell, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper is cause for excitement, and that’s exactly what we have in Joy. You’ll walk into the theater rightfully eager for a sharp script, compelling drama, a few surprises, and some laughs.
And you’ll leave Joy having experienced just about none of the above. Lawrence stars as the titular Joy, a single mother whose life circumstances have inhibited her personal growth. She lives with her mother (Virginia Madsen) and grandmother (Diane Ladd), and as the film begins her father (De Niro) breaks up with his girlfriend and decides to move into Joy’s basement, which happens to be where Joy’s ex-husband (Edgar Ramirez) currently resides. Only Joy’s childhood best friend, Jackie (Dascha Polanco), is a reliable confidante in the chaos that is her life. Flashbacks tell us Joy has always been smart and creative, but she’s never had a chance to make any of her dreams or ideas come true.
Until this: Joy invents the “Miracle Mop,” a self-wringing, washable concoction unlike any mop ever invented. She goes to her father’s new girlfriend, Trudy (Isabella Rossellini), for financial help, but is unprepared for the hardships she will face in the business world.
Every time she’s on the cusp of losing it all, her family has a terrible way of showing support. To his credit Russell captures the plight of the small business owner well, including the pitfalls of startup headaches and getting bad advice.
The story is set in the 1980s, so when Bradley Cooper pops up as a QVC executive, you get a good idea of how it’ll play out. There are some twists along the way and you’ll root for Joy, but the frustration of her family members – all of whom are one-dimensional personality types rather than full-fledged individuals – make it hard to invest in the story.
Per usual with Russell, the soundtrack is rife with pop hits and the writing is clever. Still, where’s the flair? The panache? You keep waiting for Joy to ooze with style and tempo, to win us over with its zaniness while telling a thoroughly engaging, pressing drama. But it never happens. What we get instead are a few inspired performances (particularly from De Niro with perfect comic timing) and a half-baked story that lays flat. Coming from such wonderfully talented filmmakers, this is a disappointment.
JOY (2) Directed by David O. Russell • Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro, Virginia Madsen, Edgar Ramirez • Rated PG-13 • 124 min. • At Maya Cinemas, Century Cinemas Del Monte, Northridge Cinemas, Lighthouse Cinemas.