Movie Review: Joy
Abigail Benjamin
It's impossible to fully convey how amazing the movie "Joy" is to watch as a writer. This movie is less a "movie," and more of a new experience in playwriting. Go see it with an open mind. The main theme is a familiar rags to riches story. The main character, Joy, invents a self-wringing mop that becomes an instant success on a new TV Venture called QVC.
The main beauty of this movie is its the innovative plot structure. There is no other movie that mimics this original process. This movie moves fluidly through time. There are deep dream sequences. There is outrageously great acting from the powerhouse trio of Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, and Robert De Niro.
The end result of this total creativity in how to tell a story, is that we end up seeing and experiencing this journey in sync with the characters. I already knew the ending of this movie before I went into the theater. Yet I got to sit in total suspense because I didn't know how this impossible result was going to happen. Somehow by not showing this movie in a strict chronological time sequence, the effect end up being a creation of more intimacy, more suspense and greater drama.
I left this theater feeling energized. I left the theater feeling more committed to my artistic goals in 2016. If anything in your New Years Resolutions included becoming more committed to self-direction, resilience, and creativity, go see Joy soon!