Joy

Director: David O. Russell Writers: David O. Russell, Annie Mumolo Stars: Jennifer Lawrence (Joy), Robert De Niro (Rudy), Bradley Cooper (Neil Walker), Édgar Ramírez (Tony), Susan Lucci (Danica) Joy is the story of my life. Okay, not really, it actually tells the story of Joy Mangano, an entrepreneur best known for the invention of the self-wringing Miracle Mop. It focuses on the period of time before the invention, where Mangano is a divorced mother of two stuck with caring for her parents, grandmother, and her ex-husband. She's an inventor, but struggles to devote time to her passion between her daily responsibilities and a dead-end job. She finally gets a chance to bring her idea to market, but still must deal with the doubts from her family and their constant attempts to sabotage her. The film is a very loose, and fictionalized interpretation of the real Joy's life. It has a fantastical feel that makes it easy to lose the story at times. However, it's anchored by an unsurprisingly solid performance from Lawrence.

Mini soundtrack:

Cream - "I Feel Free"
Alabama Shakes - "Gimme All Your Love"
Elvis Presley - "A Little Less Conversation"