I Bring Joy

A young woman begins a killing spree, causing tensions for a group of criminals.

 

Joy (Rivers) is a young dancer living in London. One evening, an attempted mugging results in the culprit dying at her hands. The attacker was a member of a local crime organisation who are now determined to solve the murder. Something inside Joy changes and she proceeds to claim more victims, causing the unsettled thugs to get closer and closer to her identity.

 

A rather dark psychological thriller that shows the world through the eyes of a reserved person who has negative views regarding life. Joy does not socialise much, is estranged from her family and spends most of her time in her home, contemplating her life. The reasons for her quiet existence become known later on and are revealed by brief flashbacks of a young man. Her first killing takes place in self-defence, however it (along with her past) causes her to become some sort of vigilante and she goes out looking for more victims, choosing those she believes are no-good. Her vile actions appear to be motivated by hatred, as she stabs people multiple times. At the same time, she carries on with her dance lessons, even attempting to pursue an acting career. She also talks to someone about her crimes over the phone and quotes lines by William Shakespeare while looking at her reflection. Plus she rather dislikes Meghan (Hayes), a fellow dancer. Joy is a broken individual. A lonely youngster who has been deeply affected by a traumatic event from her and Rivers delivers a superb performance.

 

Simultaneously, the screenplay follows the criminals who are after Joy, as her crimes are affecting their illegal drug business. Floyd (Blake) is the one whose character is explored the most, a family man who has turned to crime in order to support his family. Regarding the crooks, the biggest threat to Joy appears to be Saul (Dapp) a large, bearded man whose presence spreads fear and menace.

 

Special mention goes to the creative lighting techniques that develop a moody atmosphere and the melancholic and a sinister track by Ria-Belinda Mundell which contribute to the film's dark tone.

 

This feature is a story about murder that also serves as a commentary about the London underworld and knife crime. It is a character study that enters the mind of an isolated and troubled young woman who sees the worst in people. It works effectively as a thriller and as an exploration of the dark areas of the mind.