Member review

David O. Russell's urban fairy tale follows a true story spread across four generations, centred around an incredible girl who grows up to become a matriarch in her own right as a battling, entrepreneurial, single mother of two. The dramatic biopic of 'Joy Mongano' is brought to life brilliantly by Jennifer Lawrence who goes above and beyond playing the titular character but instead embodies and illustrates every moment of lingering despair, crushing strain and stress; an overwhelming desperation and finally an all-encompassing sense of fulfilment and success. The movie was marketed as inspiring and empowering for young women, and in that sense, it is a triumph. The movie shows that anyone, no matter what's their situation, be it personal, emotional or financial, must persevere to push them self towards success. Other characters in the movie such as Joy's father (aptly played by Robert De Niro) show that one thing that is so seemingly utterly essential to success is family though a lack of support from some like her half-sister Peggy (passive-aggressively portrayed by Elizabeth Rohm), can be easily replaced with the faith and dedication in friendship of her ex-husband Tony (club-crooner-styled Edgar Ramirez) and her best friend ("Orange is the New Black's" star Dascha Polanco). This film also tackles relatable subjects such as grief and loss as Joy begins by losing the most positive influence in her grandmother at the start of her youthful dreams which has a significant impact on her as it saps away her ambitions. The overall message is to dig deep and discover if it's possible to be strong enough to conquer anything, whether it's starting a business or simply finding your own happiness.