“It’s 2015, Hilary Clinton will be the next president of the United States, and Joy will be the movie of the moment. Alas, that moment never came, and the sobering darkness of our reality, Joy feels like a cinematic fever dream of capitalist apologia.
It tells the story of Joy, an entrepreneur from humble beginnings who refuses to back down to the businessmen who claim they know better. It’s an ode to the American dream and the benevolence of capitalism, inspired by the true story of a white woman that made a mop and ended up rich.
Her righteous vindication is proffered proof of capitalism’s meritocratic moral underpinnings: a system that rewards hard work with success. This is, of course, broadly inaccurate.
In actuality, Joy R. Moppenheimer is the exception, not the rule. Her story is simply a vessel to hawk overwrought horseshit that vacillates between mawkish and gonzo, underscored by a deluded sense of self-importance.
That is because Joy is delirious Oscar-bait desperate to empower women and young girls, written and directed by David O. Russel, the man who notoriously called Lily Tomlin a cunt during a on-set tantrum.1
Needless to say, I’m not buying what Joy’s selling. Taken seriously and met on its own terms, it’s a failure on all fronts. As such, I cannot recommend it, but it’s a movie ripe for ridicule if that sort of viewing experience appeals to you.
…and fuck David O. Russell.”
Thanks for listening, Film Freaks.
That particular tantrum occurred while filming I <3 Huckabees, but tales of additional altercations with other actors are easily found.
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