Doreen McGettigan

It truly never is too late for firsts and December 25, 2015 was the first time I ever went to see a movie on Christmas Day. I was amazed to find the theatre so full that we had to sit in the front row. It wasn’t so bad thanks to the reclining seats at our local Regal. Despite some lukewarm reviews I was looking forward to seeing, Joy.

Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DiNiro and Bradley Cooper reunite in, Joy their third David O Russell written and directed film.

JOY is the wild story of a family across four generations centered on the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty and becomes a matriarch in her own right. Betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence and the scars of love, pave the road in this intense emotional and human comedy about becoming a true boss of family and enterprise facing a world of unforgiving commerce. Allies become adversaries and adversaries become allies, both inside and outside the family, as Joy’s inner life and fierce imagination carry her through the storm she faces. Jennifer Lawrence stars, with Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramirez, Isabella Rossellini, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, Elisabeth Röhm and Dascha Polanco. Like David O. Russell’s previous films, Joy defies genre to tell a story of family, loyalty, and love.

Pairing actors, actresses and directors in multiple projects is not an unusual recipe. Once an on screen couple or in this case trio has that ‘chemistry’ it makes perfect sense to keep creating using your best producing ingredients.

The movie, Joy is based on true events in the life of Joy Mangano. She is an American inventor, businesswoman, and entrepreneur known for inventing the self-wringing Miracle Mop and Huggable Hangers. Before her hard fought for success, Joy was the divorced single mother of three (although only two in the movie) from a loving but completely dysfunctional family. Her grandmother, Mimi encouraged her to build things and to be a leader from the time she was a little girl. It is a true American dream come true story.

Jennifer Lawrence shines in her portrayal of the mop maven. Di Niro is loveable as Joy’s complicated father and Bradley Cooper can do no wrong in my eyes. I was hoping for a romantic connection between his character and Jennifer Lawrence’s character but that wasn’t the way the story unfolded. Melissa Rivers is the spitting image of her mother and her portrayal of Joan from Joan’s early QVC days is emotional.

Joy’s ‘real’ story is fascinating and inspirational. We all love cheering for the underdog. I wish O Russell would have kept it more biographical and less fictional. That said I do understand there is only so much time to tell a story on screen.

I left the theatre believing it is never too late to do what I’ve always wanted to do and wanting to do whatever I can to instill that belief in my grandchildren.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Doreen

The Stranger In My Recliner is now available for pre-order at Barnes & Noble and Amazon!