Drama

Joy

- Three pioneers, one vision: the birth of IVF.

A young nurse, a visionary scientist and an innovative surgeon face opposition from the church, state, media and medical establishment, in their pursuit of the world’s first ‘test tube baby’, Louise Joy Brown.

Release Date : 2024-11-15

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Wildgaze FilmsPathé

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : JOY - The Birth of IVF

Cast

Character Name : Patrick Steptoe

Original Name : Bill Nighy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Robert Edwards

Original Name : James Norton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jean Purdy

Original Name : Thomasin McKenzie

Gender : Female

Character Name : Trisha Johnson

Original Name : Charlie Murphy

Gender : Female

Character Name : Arun

Original Name : Rish Shah

Gender : Male

Character Name : Caroline

Original Name : Cecily Cleeve

Gender : Female

Character Name : Colin

Original Name : Eoin Duffy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marie

Original Name : Mariam Haque

Gender : Female

Character Name : Meg (Older)

Original Name : Abbiegail Mills

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sara

Original Name : Olivia Sellers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gladys May

Original Name : Joanna Scanlan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Muriel

Original Name : Tanya Moodie

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lesley Brown

Original Name : Ella Bruccoleri

Gender : Female

Character Name : John Brown

Original Name : Douggie McMeekin

Gender : Male

Character Name : George

Original Name : Miles Jupp

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rachel

Original Name : Louisa Harland

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mr. Miller

Original Name : Toby Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Julio

Original Name : Nicolay Shulik

Gender : Male

Character Name : Professor Mason

Original Name : Adrian Lukis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Sandhu

Original Name : Surinder Duhra

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reverend Paulson

Original Name : Robert Wilfort

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maggie

Original Name : Ruth Madeley

Gender : Female

Character Name : Meg

Original Name : Josephine Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ruth Edwards

Original Name : Jemima Rooper

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jenny

Original Name : Lydia Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sarah

Original Name : Lyllia-Rose Redmond

Gender : Male

Character Name : Anna

Original Name : Alice Bennett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Alice

Original Name : Carla Harrison-Hodge

Gender : Female

Character Name : Neil Robinson

Original Name : Elliot Bird

Gender : Male

Character Name : Neil

Original Name : Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gail

Original Name : Harriet Cains

Gender : Female

Character Name : Harry

Original Name : David Atkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kathy Gibson

Original Name : Heather Agyepong

Gender : Female

Character Name : Michael Barratt

Original Name : Justin Edwards

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sheena

Original Name : Suzanne Burden

Gender : Female

Character Name : John Graham

Original Name : Mark Sainsbury

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jan

Original Name : Mairi-Clare MacLean

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sheila Howarth

Original Name : Anastasia Hille

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sir Norman Jeffcoate

Original Name : Richard Durden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Roger Short

Original Name : Pip Torrens

Gender : Male

Character Name : James Watson

Original Name : Nicholas Rowe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brian Baines

Original Name : Simon Paisley Day

Gender : Male

Character Name : Receptionist

Original Name : Eleanor Grace

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sally

Original Name : Ashna Rabheru

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lily

Original Name : Emily Fairn

Gender : Female

Character Name : Campaign Girl

Original Name : Madeleine Shenai

Gender : Male

Character Name : John Webster

Original Name : Peter Sandys-Clarke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter 1

Original Name : Michael Keogh

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter 2

Original Name : Glenn Cunningham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Security Guard

Original Name : Ben Crowe

Gender : Male

Reviews

griggs79

@griggs79

2024-12-01

_Joy_ directed by Ben Taylor, delves into the overlooked story of Jean Purdy, a key figure in the creation of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The film not only brings to light Purdy's often ignored contributions but also serves as a critique of the long-standing marginalisation of women in scientific breakthroughs. It aims to reclaim a narrative that has historically sidelined the role of women in such significant achievements. Ben Taylor's direction chronicles the groundbreaking development of IVF with an approach reminiscent of a sports film. Though the audience knows the outcome—over two million children have been conceived via IVF since 1979—the film immerses you in the highs and lows, triumphs and failures, leading to the birth of Louise Brown, the world's first "test-tube baby." Thomasin McKenzie's portrayal of Purdy stands out, adding depth to a character who faced significant professional and personal challenges. Bill Nighy offers a memorable turn as surgeon Patrick Steptoe, blending compassion and wit. At the same time, James Norton brings warmth to the role of scientist Robert Edwards. Together, the trio captures the tension, camaraderie, and determination needed to challenge societal and scientific norms. The film's strength lies in its focus on the procedural breakthroughs and emotional and ethical dilemmas its protagonists face. It frames the IVF journey as a collective struggle against deep-seated prejudices, balancing moments of triumph with the harsh realities of rejection and scepticism. However, some aspects of the storytelling feel superficial, and the film needs to fully dive into its characters' complexities. The marginalisation of women in the scientific and medical fields is an ongoing issue. Historically, many female scientists have been overshadowed by their male counterparts. For example, Rosalind Franklin's pivotal work in discovering the structure of DNA was primarily credited to James Watson and Francis Crick. Similarly, the film _Hidden Figures_ brought to light the incredible contributions of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—African-American women mathematicians at NASA—whose work was crucial to the space program's success but went uncelebrated for decades. _Joy_ is a commendable effort to highlight an important figure and the persistence required behind one of modern medicine's significant achievements. While the film has flaws, it succeeds in shedding light on Purdy's legacy and the crucial role of women in scientific innovation, ensuring their contributions are finally acknowledged.