Joy **** (2015, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramirez, Isabella Rossellini, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen) – Movie Review

An exceptional cast is assembled for Joy, the story of an Italian-American family across four generations and Joy Mangano, the young woman who rises to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty. But Jennifer Lawrence out-acts the lot of them, though, to be fair, it’s a stonking great gift of a part for a talented young actress and there’s no doubt that this is a talented young actress in her prime. Storming ahead, Lawrence, still only 25, nails it.

If I was nit-picking, I would say she doesn’t seem very Italian-American, but it’s not an issue. Robert De Niro and Isabella Rossellini seem very Italian-American, but I wonder why that would be!

To be honest, Lawrence is better than the movie, good though it is, her class showing in every scene, though she is not a selfish actress and pairs powerfully with some of the talents involved, particularly Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper. They have decent roles, and are excellent, but they are support turns, loyally backing the star in dialogue scenes that sizzle.

Director David O Russell and Annie Mumolo’s story is not really that much of a thing. Its ‘plot’ about a young woman inventing a new kind of cleaning mop, and advertising and marketing it, despite opposition, hardly bears thinking about. Old Hollywood would never have filmed such a story. Movie mogul: ‘What’s its about?’ Producer: ‘A girl invents a new kind of cleaning mop.’ Movie mogul: ‘Next!’ Even so, you could imagine Bette Davis or Barbara Stanwyck in the star role in the 1930s.

Director Russell, known for Silver Linings Playbook (2012), American Hustle (2013) and Three Kings (1999), is such a talented film-maker that he can make this mop movie work impressively, though there are times when it feels a long haul at 124 minutes. He does go to it with plenty of brio, zest and flair though. I was pleased that he could find respectful space in his movie for Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramirez, Isabella Rossellini, Diane Ladd, and Virginia Madsen. I get the impression he likes actresses, but actors too. He’s an actors’ director.

Lawrence won the 2016 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – but this movie is no musical or comedy. Strange that! The movie was nominated too – as Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. She is also Oscar nominated for Best Performance by an Actress. Lawrence of course won the 2013 Best Actress Oscar in Russell’s for Silver Linings Playbook and has other nominations for Winter’s Bone (2010) American Hustle (2013).

She is quite the chameleon, able to look dowdy or gorgeous, actually be dowdy or gorgeous, at the drop of a hat. Be fun, be grim, be down-trodden, be determined, whatever… I know, it’s called acting, but she’s good at it.

If you’re looking for an upmarket movie, you won’t be disappointed. The release date was Christmas Day (with its UK release 1 January), so let Joy be unconfined. Just mop it up, er lap it up.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Movie Review

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