Over Hyped, Under Delivered - Wait for Video

Rating: 5/10 (26 December 2015)

Opening day, my disappointment began when I watched Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and Robert De Niro for 2 hours, not the characters they portrayed. I never saw Joy or Neil.
The story, while dramatic, did not seem to do justice to "Joy", the inspiration for the film.
The film covered a narrow time frame reflecting the dramatic tension of her life at the time. The dramatic tension was well portrayed by the actors.
I wanted more from the end of the film, the time jump supported by narrative did not deliver.
The cinematography is compelling, with creative shots and effective close-ups.
Another disappointment was Jennifer's hair, make-up and costuming which reflected modern 2015, not 1992.
I appreciated the depth of the supportive actors, including Virginia Madsen, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, along with the recognizable SOAP actors.
I welcome creative license to improve compelling elements of a story to create interest, in this film, the writers and director had the opportunity to make better selections.