The Trouble Is

Rating: Null/10 (26 December 2015)

This movie feels like a highly energetic, unfocused masterpiece by an artist who had the seeds of a great idea. Most of the movie is very straightforward in Joy's journey to power, but then sudden fantasy sequences pop their way in. What do they have to do with the overall story? Tons! But it takes a moment to figure that out.
There's a parallel with a fictional, high-stakes, daytime soap opera. As the characters revealed their unnecessarily complex web of relations, everyone in the theater laughed. Then, cut to a scene of Jennifer Lawrence trying to fuse the explosive relationship between her divorced parents, who nearly avoid a domestic disturbance in front of two children. That's what kind of movie this is.
But the relationships are real. The mother is believable. The father is believable. Joy's family situation is ridiculous, but highly possible and highly entertaining. On top of that, it's striking how memorable this family is. They want to look out for each other, but have to look out for themselves. Oh, the dramatic possibilities! The biggest disappointment, though, is Joy herself. Not Mrs. Lawrence, who delivers her star-power in spades; but the character of Joy, who feels so restrained. Even during scenes of high intensity, her emotions are so subdued that Bella Swan would be jealous (how's that for a dated reference?). And that is why the movie feels empty. That climactic moment where Jennifer Lawrence goes crazy never...
And that's the movie in a nutshell. It has a lot to offer, and will divide a lot of people. It could insight riots, begin wars, and charge the internet with love it/hate it debates. If you want to join in on the fun, I'd say go see it. But you decide if it's worth your time.