I feel that Joy in its first hour created one of my all-time favorite film characters. You know, some great movies don't have characters-- Joy has a character. I loved with a full heart and mind Jennifer Lawrence as Joy, and written so beautifully by Russell. I want to see this film again if only to observe Lawrence in that incredible first hour.
After that time, however, I got the sense that Russell lost control and the film lost its sparkle. Joy the character seemed to shift unfavorably, and the events of the film took an unfortunate turn for the viewer. Yes, this is based on a true story, but it's a shame that Russell couldn't uphold character consistency and holistic vision consistency with his faithfulness to the source material. This is a huge problem in adaptation cinema. I've said it before, but it disappoints me to say in regards to such an amazing filmmaker. The first hour echoed the inimitable energy and devotion of Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. The final hour was a disappointment. Yet the character as she began stands as one who has touched me more than most others in all of film.
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