David O. Russell’s fascination with the struggles of everyday people and their dysfunctional relationships gives us Joy, a story inspired by true events about a single-mother who despite all relational and financial odds dares to pursue her dream in becoming an inventor.
The two initial scenes of the film, a melodramatic TV soap opera and a clip from Joy’s childhood, narrated by her Mimi (the story’s omniscient narrator), capture the tension Joy lives in. Her life swings back and forth between outrageous and dramatic complications and breakthrough moments where she excels as a visionary and creator. In a way reminiscent of Silver Linings Playbook, we are given a highly dysfunctional family comprised by Joy’s TV-soap-opera-addicted, divorced mother; her slightly bi-polar, divorced father in between lovers; her socially awkward, jealous half-sister; and her mediocre singer ex-husband. Oh, and they all live in the same house as Joy and her two children!
Unfortunately, the star cast that plays the dysfunctional family only serves as auxiliary characters whose decisions either make life unbearably frustrating for Joy or provide her the encouragement and leverage she needs to get her “miracle-mop” invention on the market. Even Cooper’s character, the shrewd but kind businessman, Neil Walker, plays a small, albeit significant, role in the story. With that said, their idiosyncrasies are enough to make them believable characters which aids in making Joy’s story more relatable and her struggles empathic.
Lawrence’s convincing performance makes up for everything lost by the film’s lack of character development. Her ability to communicate emotions through something as simple as a glare or a tone of voice makes it easy for audience members to enter her story and feel her struggle. Throughout the first third of the film, Joy is soft-spoken and lacks confidence. However, in the scene where she chooses to not be responsible for her families’ decisions, Joy’s gaze becomes fixed and stoic, and her speech is direct and unbroken. These physical actions not only make Joy’s emotions believable and engaging, but they are what keeps the story fresh and moving.
Time and time the film reminded me of Genesis 3:16-19 where God explains the consequences of Adam and Eve’s choice to eat the fruit. In Joy’s broken family we see the contentious struggle between wife and husband to control the other, and we are given a multi-generational example of the excruciating pain raising children can be for women. The consequence specifically told to Adam is embodied in Joy’s struggle to provide financially and emotionally for her family as well as in her endeavors to create.
We have to be careful to note that it is not work itself that is a consequence of sin, but the struggle that comes with it. We are tasked with actualizing the material on this planet. Whether farming or painting, part of what makes us human is the pursuit of meaningful work. We all can relate to Joy’s struggle to provide and find fulfilling work. We also can relate to her ambition and voracious hunger for success – we all want to flourish in our work. As the narrative of scripture progresses, we see that God’s remedial response to the effects of sin is in gracious community with him and other people.
While the film highlights the individualism and austereness that enables Joy to actualize her dreams, one can’t miss the crucial role her “dysfunctional” family members and friends play in helping her flourish. Without the prophetic voice of Mimi, the encouragement of Rudy (her father), the compassion of Tony (her ex), and the sensitivity of Neil, would Joy have been able to flourish? What we need as dysfunctional human beings is the community of others, and Joy is on target when portraying the reality that help and opportunity can come from other “dysfunctional” people. I think this is what Russell does best as a filmmaker: he helps us see the good God sees in us which God uses, despite our dysfunctions, to help create community between our neighbors and with him.
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