Joy

Critics Consensus

Joy is anchored by a strong performance from Jennifer Lawrence, although director David O. Russell's uncertain approach to its fascinating fact-based tale only sporadically sparks bursts of the titular emotion.

60%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 265

57%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 46,480

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Movie Info

JOY is the wild story of a family across four generations centered on the girl who becomes the woman who founds a business dynasty and becomes a matriarch in her own right. Betrayal, treachery, the loss of innocence and the scars of love, pave the road in this intense emotional and human comedy about becoming a true boss of family and enterprise facing a world of unforgiving commerce. Allies become adversaries and adversaries become allies, both inside and outside the family, as Joy's inner life and fierce imagination carry her through the storm she faces. Jennifer Lawrence stars, with Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramirez, Isabella Rossellini, Diane Ladd, and Virginia Madsen. Like David O. Russell's previous films, Joy defies genre to tell a story of family, loyalty, and love. (C) Fox
  • Rating:
    PG-13 (for brief strong language)
  • Genre:
    Drama
  • Directed By:
    David O. Russell
  • Written By:
    David O. Russell
  • In Theaters:
     wide
  • On Disc/Streaming:
  • Box Office:
    $42,581,369
  • Runtime:
  • Studio:
    20th Century Fox

Cast

Jennifer Lawrence
as Joy
Robert De Niro
as Rudy
Bradley Cooper
as Neil Walker
Edgar Ramirez
as Tony
Diane Ladd
as Mimi
Virginia Madsen
as Terry
Isabella Rossellini
as Trudy
Elisabeth Röhm
as Peggy
Dascha Polanco
as Jackie
Susan Lucci
as Danica
Laura Wright
as Clarinda
Maurice Benard
as Ridge
Donna Mills
as Priscilla
Jimmy Jean-Louis
as Louis-Touissant
Ken Howard
as Mop Executive
Ray DeLaPaz
as Tony's Father
John Enos III
as Roderick
Marianne Leone
as Sharon
Melissa Rivers
as Joan Rivers
Drena De Niro
as Cindy
Isabella Crovetti-Cramp
as Cramp-Young Joy
Emily Nunez
as Young Jackie
Madison Wolfe
as Young Peggy
Aundrea Gadsby Gadsby
as Cristy 5 Years Old
Gia Gadsby
as Cristy 5 Years Old
Tomas Denson Elizondo
as Tommy 3 Years Old
Zeke Louis Elizondo
as Tommy 3 Years Old
Alexander Cook
as Bartholomew
Lori McCoy-Bell
as Bell-Angry Airline Customer
Suzanne Frazier Wilkins
as Airline Customer
Luisa Maria Badaracco
as Susan
Jamell Washington
as Airline Customer Service Clerk
Gary Tolchin
as Airline Supervisor
Will Lebow
as Monsignor
Johnnie McQuarley
as Andre
Pedro Martinez Campos
as College Party Band
Carlos Alberto Valencia
as College Party Band
Alvaro Benavides
as College Party Band
Edgar Pantoja Aleman
as College Party Band
Shonda Schilling
as College Party Goer
Grant Schilling
as College Party Goer
Gary Zahakos
as Divorce Mediator
Josef Boreland
as Boat Captain
Pedro Sabino
as Tino
Mateo Gomez
as Latin Priest
Marcela Jaramillo
as Eucaria
Jim Frangione
as Charlie
Melissa McMeekin
as Parking Lot Woman
Erica McDermott
as Parking Lot Women
Carla Antonino
as Parking Lot Women
Michele L. Egerton
as Parking Lot Women
Marianne Bayard
as Angela
Fiore Leo
as Angela's Brother
Steve DeMarco
as Angela's Brother
Collin Knight
as Parking Lot Officer
Barbara Feeney
as Receptionist
Damien Di Paola
as Marv Brickman
Patsy Meck
as Patsy
Jeremiah Kissel
as Boardroom Reps
Dale Place
as Boardroom Reps
Mitchell Rosenwald
as Boardroom Reps
Thomas Matthews
as Thomas
Matthew Russell
as Roger from Wardrobe
Bates Wilder
as Todd
Paul Herman
as Rifle Man
Christy Scott Cashman
as Sarina Kimball
Colleen Camp
as Lori
Richard McElvain
as Dr. Whitten
Mark Nemeskal
as Funeral Priest
Patrick Pitu
as Eerie Fabri-Pac Guy
Michael DeMello
as Gregory
Ken Cheeseman
as Gerhardt
Dan Bowen
as Eerie Fabri-Pac Guy
Naheem Garcia
as Police Officer
Ray Alongi
as Police Officer
Johnny Lee Davenport
as Ray Cagney
Sonny Mirabella
as Front Desk Clerk
Bill Thorpe
as Dallas Man
Sam Weisman
as Lead Diller Attorney
Jeff Avigian
as Diller Attorney
Barry Primus
as Rudy's Attorney
Eliana Adise
as Teen Cristy
Calidore Robinson
as Teen Tommy
Jasmine White
as Young Memphis Woman
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News & Interviews for Joy

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Critic Reviews for Joy

All Critics (265) | Top Critics (50) | Fresh (160) | Rotten (105)

  • The movie's a shambles, alternatingly agreeable and aggravating, held together by our interest in its heroine and by Lawrence's tremendously sympathetic performance.

    January 3, 2016 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

    Ty Burr

    Boston Globe
    Top Critic

  • Russell is almost totally uninterested in the story of how Joy Mangano explored a bizarre and unknown new business model and became its first self-made tycoon, and as a result we aren't interested either.

    January 3, 2016 | Full Review…

    Andrew O'Hehir

    Salon.com
    Top Critic

  • The latest feature from writer-director David O. Russell is a quirky but very perceptive comedy-drama made in Russell's usual freewheeling style.

    January 1, 2016 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

    Geoffrey Macnab

    Independent (UK)
    Top Critic

  • Joy is a film about life's defiance of expectations. It defies them right back.

    December 29, 2015 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

    Adam Cook

    Little White Lies
    Top Critic

  • Two years after Jennifer Lawrence appeared in David O. Russell's American Hustle, she gets to show some.

    December 28, 2015 | Full Review…

    Mara Reinstein

    Us Weekly
    Top Critic

  • Joy can be viewed as a modern day rags-to-riches fairytale. It's Cinderella without the prince. In a way, that's part of the film's charm.

    December 25, 2015 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

    James Berardinelli

    ReelViews
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (265)

Audience Reviews for Joy

  • Aug 24, 2017
    It takes a special kind of director to tell the story of a single mom trying to sell a mop that she has invented and make it anywhere close to compelling, and David O Russell is a that special kind of director. This is the third time he has teamed with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, and I hope it happens 15 more. Great use of Music, especially Buffalo Springfield's dreaming to fly during an emotional funeral scene. The film that is both uplifting in Joy's perseverance and dispiriting in the stonewalling obstacles that an ordinary person with an idea has to overcome to succeed.
    Doctor S Super Reviewer
  • Feb 21, 2017
    No matter how much this film tries to big itself up, it's still about a woman who re-invented the mop.
    Marcus W Super Reviewer
  • Jul 27, 2016
    http://cinephilecrocodile.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/joy-dir-david-o.html
    Anthony L Super Reviewer
  • Jun 08, 2016
    I am a sucker for the under dog story and this film is definitely about an underdog. David O. Russell takes a unconventional and moody approach in telling the life story of Joy Magnello. But, Lawrence gets her best role since Winter's Bone and hits it out of the park.SHe has great support from Madsen, Ladd, Ramirez, Cooper and Roehm. But, De Niro calls his performance in as her father and almost ruins the film. The film can be accused of too many flashbacks that can confuse the viewer but I was invested enough and was overall satisfied. 05-30-2016
    Christopher O Super Reviewer
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