The Joy of a Fight for Life

Joy is a wonderful movie. It is easy not to hesitate to say this aloud. The film does not make you sit and watch an exhausting melodrama; instead, it brings you all the way to the middle of a life span. A messy, crazy frustrating life that each viewer may have experienced or, at least, he/she knows someone who does. Joy is the narration of the path of a success, which arises from a disturbed spirit. A young woman, Jennifer Lawrence, after her parents' divorce, she has to grow so fast. She is responsible for taking care of everyone, including her ex-husband, two children, her divorced mom and dad and her grandmother.

Joy's character has been designed carefully, believable and develops through the story. David O. Russell has devoted a life to a character, which is nothing contrived about her. In fact, there is nothing artificial about any of the characters. In that respect is nothing shocking about any of the cases that may drive an audience to think: "Oh! Come on, another fairy tale story." On the other hand, the story surprises the viewer plenty of times during the film. In that respect are several moments that the audience will believe "this is a dead-end," but Russell knows how to compose a character who can exist even in a very impossible moment.

Joy is alone, in all her journeys. No one is believing in her, not even herself. The grandmother is only one who has faith on Joy. She has always been a great support, but she is not enough to fight the whole world of disappointment.   

The movie does not provide any violence or sex scene. Russell, as the writer and director, relays only on the organic potential of the story to keep his audience. He does not manipulate or trick you. He simply tells a story. This can be seen in the technical aspect of the movie as well, regardless of a few scenes, which Russell distances himself from the absolute realism, for instance, the silhouette scene between grandmother and the young Joy, or the scene in the white décor with Bradley Cooper (Neil Walker).

Overall, Joy is the movie that you do not want to miss. It adds another success to the records of Russell, who has already shown his talent by directing American Hustle and The Fighter.