Mighty Russell Has Struck Out

Rating: 4/10 (19 January 2016)

(Rating: ☆☆ out of 4)
This film is not recommended.
In brief: Clean-up in Aisle 4
GRADE: C
The usually reliable David O. Russell lets down his fine cast of performers in his latest film, Joy, which doesn't quite live up to its title. Except for a strong performance from its lead, the delightful Jennifer Lawrence, the film remains a major disappointment.
The film is loosely based on the true story of inventor Joy Mangano, but the screenplay also written by its director is a mess that needs to clean up its act. The film swings wildly between comedy and drama but never stays long enough to be effective in either category. Joy, winningly played by Ms. Lawrence, is interesting and the actress brings some verve to her role, but all of the supporting characters around her are sketchy and never amount to much more than quirky curmudgeons whose actions are so over-the-top that they never resemble anything remotely believable.
The plot: Joy's life is in shambles (but then, so is the script). Living slightly above the poverty level and sharing her household with her dysfunctional divorced parents, Terry (Virginia Madsen), a reclusive soap opera addicted mother, and Rudy, a crotchety self-absorbed father (Robert De Niro) who takes up with a rich Italian widow named Trudy (Isabella Rossellini), Joy's ex-husband, Tony (Edgar Ramirez), who is trying to be a professional singer, Peggy (Elizabeth Rohm), her jealous stepsister, and Joy's two adorable children. Still her creative impulses compel her take action and change the direction her life is taking, which leads Joy to her long- time friend and adversary in business, Neil (Bradley Cooper), who gives her moral support on her latest venture.
However, none of these relationships build to any satisfactory conclusion due to the stilted writing and uneven tone of the film. The ending also seems pat and forced as it quickly tries to tie up its loose ends, be they cotton or synthetic.
With all of the talent involved, sadly, Joy is a joyless filmgoing experience.
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