Joy – An Inspiring True Story Drama That Came Out of Nowhere

Joy tells the remarkable true story behind the ground-breaking birth of Louise Joy Brown in 1978, the world’s first test tube baby, and the tireless 10-year journey to make it all possible. The film follows Jean Purdy (McKenzie), a young nurse and embryologist, who joins forces with scientist Robert Edwards (Norton) and surgeon Patrick Steptoe (Nighy) to unlock the puzzle of infertility by pioneering the treatment known today as in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Every once in a while, it’s nice to see a smaller film comes out of nowhere and takes audiences by complete surprise. The very definition of a feel good crowd pleaser, it could not have been released at a better time.

Joy is an inspiring and funny film that tells its story in such an involving way that it keeps audiences engaged. Despite its very optimistic tone, it doesn’t shy away from the unfortunate reality of its subject matter. Ben Taylor’s direction is sturdy, and it is shot remarkably well especially for a streaming release. Meanwhile, Steven Price’s score hits all the right notes, fitting seamlessly in scene after scene, also making for a solid soundtrack. The dynamic between Purdy, Edwards, and Steptoe, as it grows and evolves over the course of the film, is quite touching, even for those who may be familiar with the true story, as audiences will still find themselves rooting for them.

McKenzie is one of the most talented young actors working today, but her performance as Purdy ranks among her very best. Here, she is asked to carry a lot of the emotion load. As the beating heart of the film, it’s hard to imagine any other actor in the role. An easy character to invest in, one can’t help but be with her every step of the way. In what was indisputably McKenzie’s show, Purdy might overshadow the others in terms of character development, however, the other performances can’t go unmentioned. Norton delivers one of, if not his very best, performance to date as Edwards, while Nighy is a consummate delight as he steals nearly every scene he’s in as Steptoe.

That being said, the film does run a tad bit too long, running at near the 2-hour mark, and the pacing occasionally slow down in the middle act. Though it takes a rather conventional approach to telling its story, something that isn’t necessarily a bad thing for British period dramas like this, it is noticeable and worth mentioning. On the other hand, while it features quite a few hard hitting moments throughout, the ending doesn’t quite pack the punch and lacks the impact it was surely aiming for.

At the end of the day, despite some minor nitpicks, Joy is a great watch that is definitely worth checking out based on its performances alone from Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton, and Bill Nighy. With how bleak the world has become as of late and with recent events, it could not have come out at a better time. While it certainly isn’t shy to go dark, it is ultimately a story about hope that many will find inspiration in.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/