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Joy

Crit

A very strange, almost impressionistic, telegraphic narrative, complemented by the American-dream voiceover by Diane Ladd as the title character's endlessly optimistic grandmother. Somehow it works, even as it seems ever on the verge of falling apart. Credit to writer-director David O. Russell for that, if only in having the sense to bring back Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper again to play the two least-likely characters in a sort-of-true story of (spoiler alert) grueling trial capped by fabulous success.

Trailers

• Eddie the Eagle--Didn't care about this story when it was happening, don't care about it now.
• Whiskey Tango Foxtrot--If Tina Fey as a reporter in Afghanistan hadn't been enough to grab me, the prominence of one of my favorite songs of the year would have sealed the deal.