Jennifer Lawrence was 24 when she shot Joy. Her character, Joy Mangano, was 34 when she invented the Miracle Mop and became one of the first stars of the QVC Network. This fact remains inescapable throughout Joy. Lawrence is too good of an actress not to be watchable in the part, but she’s totally miscast as a divorced mother of two who’s been repeatedly beaten down by life’s disappointments. This part was meant for the Jennifer Lawrence of 2025, not the one of 2015.
It’s hers now, presumably, because Joy was co-written and directed by David O. Russell, and Russell loves working with Lawrence regardless of the circumstances. Joy is their third consecutive film together, and it’s been hard to argue with the results thus far; both Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle became unlikely blockbusters, and Lawrence’s performances in them earned her two Oscar nominations and one Academy Award. That winning streak ends here, with a wildly uneven and tonally confused female empowerment story with garish supporting characters and a wandering focus.
Read More: ‘Joy’ Review: Jennifer Lawrence Is Totally Miscast in This Business Biopic |
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