Ironic Film TItle... "Joy"

Joy (2015)

Rated R

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Bradley Cooper, Diane Ladd, Edgar Ramirez, Virginia Madsen, Elisabeth Rohm,

Directed by David O. Russell

The Story:

Joy (Lawrence) is a divorced mother who has allowed her ex-husband (Ramirez) to stay in the basement while dealing with a mom (Madsen) who won't leave her room, a dad (DeNiro) who tends to drive her crazy when he's not chasing after his next girlfriend. She's broke, she hates her job, and she has an idea for a mop...

I'm sorry, was I boring you?

I was totally boring myself.

This engaging true story of a woman who pulled herself up by her bootstraps could be riveting and engaging.

For me, it wasn't.

While I liked the last time that DeNiro, Lawrence, Cooper and Director David O. Russell teamed together (Silver Linings Playbook) they were interesting characters that I was invested in from just about the first time I saw them onscreen.

I wanted to see more.

Lightning did not strike twice.

Aside from DeNiro, I actually wanted to see less of just about everyone else in the first 25 minutes of watching this film.

Life is already depressing enough, and crazy family is crazy family, I really don't need to see it in all of the mundane glory.

Indeed, by the 25 minute mark (I was trying to like it, I really was) I realized I didn't want to spend the next 2 hours with this family just to get to the inevitable happy ending.

Final Grade:  D   

Even Affordable Health Care Cannot Fix "Accidental Love"

Accidental Love (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Jessica Biel, James Marsden, Jake Gyllenhaal, Tracy Morgan, Kurt Fuller,

Directed by David O. Russell

The Story:

Alice (Biel) is about to be proposed to by her boyfriend Scott (Marsden). That's when tragedy strikes and she winds up with a nail in her head. Naturally, Scott isn't so sure he wants to risk a wedding to someone who could suffer mood swings or die because of the nail, and healthcare is too expensive to pull the nail out. So Alice heads to Washington D.C. to get freshman Congressman Birdwell (Gyllenhaal) to propose a healthcare bill that would allow for the removal of nails to the skull.

This was an odd one.

Reading up on it, apparently it was David O. Russell's attempt at a comedy/political satire that was plagued with numerous problems so he walked away and disowned it.

Ouch.

It's not that bad, and the cast he assembles gives it their all, especially a manic Marsden and a game for just about anything Gyllenhaal who brings a lot of life to a spineless politician who wants to do good things, but can't quite figure out how to do it correctly.

Much of it will seem really dated by the time you get around to watching it because it started filming in 2008, so all the zingers about affordable healthcare have the wind taken out of their sales at this point as it was finally released in a world that has healthcare mandates.

Affordable healthcare, that's a whole different ball game however.

It takes a bit for the movie to get going, but it seems everyone involved is game, and that was like the film's saving grace.

Final Grade: C

Who Is Conning Who? "American Hustle"

American Hustle (2013)

Rated R for language

Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner

Directed by David O. Russell

The Story:

Irving (Bale) is a con-man. His lover, Sydney (Adams) are getting rich scamming people.  Then along comes FBI Agent DiMaso (Cooper) who enlists the two to help him take down crooked politicians like Mayor Polito (Renner).  Get ready for the mother of all con artist/flim flam movies... based on a real story!

If you can stay awake long enough to get through it.

It went on 1.5 x within 5 minutes... trying to see if it was interesting at all.

I couldn't find any interest.

I think I let it run for the first 45 minutes before I realized that I honestly didn't care one bit about who was doing what to whom, or why.

Not good for a movie like this.

An incredible waste of talent.

Some of the reviews I see say that it really picks up in the 2nd half.

While I suppose that's better than being let down, if you never feel any connection to the characters, it seems to me, you're fighting a losing battle.

Final Grade: D

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Maybe I'll try and catch the ending someday on cable. But I'm sure I'll find a million other things to watch or do instead.