Joy Mangano has an ex-husband, a job, two children, an unmanageable mother and father, and a head full of dreams. Since childhood, she has had crazy ideas for unusual inventions, but has never really been taken seriously. Until she decides to try her luck with an invention that will become a phenomenon: the Miracle Mop. Even though no one believes in her and nobody expects it, Joy becomes a business genius.

Picture gallery

Third time’s a charm. After an undeserved Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook and a dive into the seventies for the flamboyant but flawed American Hustle, David O. Russell has found an unlikely biopic for Jennifer Lawrence: Joy Mangano, the woman behind the Miracle Mop. The idea is not very exciting, in fact it’s downright ridiculous, but the director creates a fabulous film, a typical Hollywood success story that draws its strength from the energy of the superstar actress, who is yet again sensational and deeply in tune with a perfectly oiled script. It offers everything from laughter to tears, from comedy to great entertainment, and wonderful secondary characters (Robert de Niro, Isabelle Rossellini, Virginia Madsen, Edgar Ramirez): Joy is a total pleasure to watch. Without the heaviness of American Hustle’s narrative, and with a stronger story than Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell’s fluid and graceful camera finally finds its balance. It’s a small step from there to say that he has made his best Hollywood movie yet.