Movie · 2015 · Drama, Comedy · 2h 4m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 2.4/10 (306.1K ratings)
In America, the ordinary needs the extraordinary every single day.
Overview
A story based on the life of a struggling Long Island single mom who became one of the country's most successful entrepreneurs.
Ratings
Curator score: 2.4/10
IMDb: 6.6/10
Letterboxd: 3.16/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 61%
Metacritic: 56
TMDB: 6.6/10
Director
David O. Russell
Production
Fox 2000 Pictures, Annapurna Pictures, Davis Entertainment, 10 by 10 Entertainment, TSG Entertainment
Cast
Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramírez, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, Isabella Rossellini, Dascha Polanco, Elisabeth Röhm, Susan Lucci, Laura Wright, Maurice Benard, Donna Mills, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Ken Howard, Ray De La Paz, John Enos III, Marianne Leone Cooper, Melissa Rivers, Drena De Niro
Curator Review
Verdict
An uneven but watchable David O. Russell biopic powered by Jennifer Lawrence’s committed lead performance and a lively, off-kilter energy. It’s more interesting as a messy American-dream character study than as a clean rise-to-success story.
Best for
Viewers who like performance-driven biopics with a scrappy, chaotic tone
Fans of David O. Russell’s ensemble melodrama and emotional volatility
People interested in entrepreneurial underdog stories
Audiences who don’t mind a loose, episodic structure
Skip if
You want a tightly structured, conventional biopic
You’re put off by tonal whiplash and heightened family dysfunction
You prefer restrained, realistic storytelling over stylized chaos
You want the invention/business side to be the main focus
Overview
Joy is a strange little success story: part biopic, part family saga, part feverish American-dream fantasia. David O. Russell turns a mop into a symbol of grit, frustration, and self-invention, and Jennifer Lawrence keeps the movie moving even when the script feels scattered or overstuffed.
Worth noting
What works best is the energy. The film is messy, but it’s rarely dull, and it finds a kind of emotional propulsion in Joy’s stubbornness against a family that constantly drains her. The supporting cast adds texture, though not every subplot lands with equal force.
Bottom line
For some viewers, that looseness will feel like momentum; for others, like drift. If you’re in the mood for a flawed but spirited character study with strong central acting, it’s worth a look. If you want a cleaner, more disciplined rise-to-success narrative, this may leave you cold.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Evan (4★) · 618 likes
This movie is about the invention of a mop. Sounds boring right? Nope. David O. Russell and Jennifer Lawrence manages to make a story about the invention of a mop super engrossing and fun.
A lot of people are disliking Joy and I'm sitting here trying to figure out why. Like Steve Jobs and Straight Outta Compton, Joy isn't your typical biopic. It's energetic, fun, and has a whole lotta heart. Jennifer Lawrence was absolutely fantastic. Her second best performance… more
abi 🖤 (3.5★) · 594 likes
robert de niro, jennifer lawrence and bradley cooper cinematic universe
ag.mov (2★) · 399 likes
Joy is so messy not even her damn mop can clean it up. A total bore that takes away everything that makes David O. Russell's films stand out in the first place and replaces these elements with a cliched, Lifetime Channel movie plot and caricatures.
If you couldn't tell, I didn't like this movie.
issy 🥝 (5★) · 397 likes
umm hello? you guys (the internet) had me thinking this movie was gonna be below average for years! pure lies! this was so wonderful!? it had me close to tears twice - over a mop! a Mop!!!! oh my god her family were unbelievable. the rage i felt. amazing hairstyles, impeccable. Every scene beautifully chaotic. this was not what I expected in any way shape of form, couldn’t have predicted a thing about it. I loved this!!!!! What! Maybe it’s just me but!! very good movie to me!
rach (4★) · 363 likes
only jennifer lawrence could get me to watch a film about mops and actually enjoy it
2013 · Crime, Drama, Comedy · 3h · R · Curator 7.9/10 (5.7M ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, AMC+, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
If the appeal is manic energy and a portrait of American ambition gone feral, this is a natural companion.