Jennifer Lawrence teams up for the 3rd film with director David O. Russell (“Silver Linings Playbook,” “American Hustle”), this time based on the life and career of Joy Mangano, inventor of the Miracle Mop. There’s irony behind the movie’s title, because there’s almost no joy here. She has a deeply dysfunctional family, an intense struggle with her product and a pretty unhappy life. Russell loves to create characters that are less than likable and put them in situations that challenge them and the viewer. Also, the music choices are often dreadful. There’s no question that he’s an interesting filmmaker, but not always the most enjoyable. I wanted to like the person and the movie, and even though her bio is fascinating, this movie takes too long and is downright unpleasant.
(2.5 / 5)