Carlsbad, CA
December 28, 2015
by Rich Scheck
Ayn Rand would be proud: the new model for the vision of freedom
she championed is the lead character in the bio-pic film Joy played
brilliantly by the very talented Jennifer Lawrence.
Moving far beyond her role in the futuristic Hunger Games into the
presence tense of contemporary American middle class life, Lawrence
shows the same grit and range of acting skills she has demonstrated
consistently since she was nominated in 2010 for an Academy Award
for her role in Winter’s Bone.
In Joy, she plays the title character of a young divorcee with two children
and a world of challenges from her dysfunctional family who make The
Royal Tenenbaums look almost normal by comparison.
With a first-rate cast and a roller-coaster ride of emotions fueling this
story of the hard road to success, Joy embodies the essence of the
Rand creed that was a hallmark of her novels Atlas Shrugged and
The Fountainhead.
Although Joy is not an architect or artist, she is a creative and very
hard-working lady who is confronted with endless challenges. Her
ability to face down adversity and do whatever it takes to promote her
inventions while staying true to herself makes for a captivating and timely
tale of modernity.
Joy is a classic “prime mover” who is treated poorly by her family and
the cold business world who must rely on her individuality, cleverness and inner drive to prevail.
It is unlikely that the writer and director, David O. Russell, was promoting
a libertarian political agenda in the spirit of Rand’s Objectivism. But by
focusing on the work ethic needed to make it in today’s welfare state world,
the journey of this beleaguered housewife from being a victim of corporate
greed to an accomplished businesswoman without relying on the government
for help represents a clear message in the spirit of the late novelist.
Yes, Ayn Rand would be proud of Joy……………….and, no doubt, Joyful!
The film is far from perfect but does capture the essence of the real life
of Joy Mangano.
Please see it for yourself and decide if the message resonates with you.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Galt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_Mangano
http://www.daveramsey.com/blog/i-do-not-choose-to-be-a-common-man/