Joy

Name: Joy
Genre: Drama
Released: May 24, 2019
Duration: 99 min
Rating: 75
Cast: Angela Ekeleme, Anwulika Alphonsus, Mariam Sanusi

2019

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 5 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

No score yet

tbd

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

tbd	Your Score
tbd	User Score No score yet

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Movie Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date: May 24, 2019 | TV-MA

Starring: Angela Ekeleme, Anwulika Alphonsus, Mariam Sanusi

Summary: Joy, a young Nigerian woman caught in the vicious cycle of sex trafficking, is instructed by her exploiter Madame to supervise Precious, a teenage girl who is not ready to accept her fate.

Director: Sudabeh Mortezai

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 99 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Nikki Baughan

May 23, 2019

Centred around two exceptional performances, and taking an intimate, documentary-like approach to the drama, Joy effectively explores the devastating traps of abuse and extortion without ever becoming exploitative itself. Read full review

Robert Abele

May 23, 2019

Both riveting character study and experiential glimpse at the Africa-to-Europe sex slave trade, Austrian-Iranian filmmaker Sudabeh Mortezai’s “Joy” builds its reservoir of sadness with pulsing efficiency. Read full review

Guy Lodge

May 23, 2019

If all the performances here feel lived-in, it’s because they’re literally just that — but even within that context, Alphonsus is an electric find, silently signaling Joy’s clashing moral impulses with a complexity that would defeat many a professional. Read full review

The Playlist Chris Barsanti

May 23, 2019

In its refusal to bend to unrealistic notions of escape, Joy is a bravely dark movie. Read full review

Ben Kenigsberg

May 31, 2019

Matching content with form, the movie is tight and merciless, even if parts play like a tract. Read full review

SEE ALL 5 REVIEWS

Write a Review

Mixed:

No reviews yet.

More From Metacritic

What to Watch Right Now on Paramount+

Find a list of the best recent and upcoming film and TV titles added to...

What to Watch Right Now on Amazon's Prime Video

Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming...

What to Watch Right Now on Netflix

Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming...

What to Watch Right Now on Hulu

Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming...

Awards & Rankings

Current Movie Releases

By MetascoreBy User Score

1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

2 77 Project Hail Mary

3 75 Send Help

4 73 Hoppers

5 72 The Sheep Detectives

SEE ALL