Joy

2024, 1h 55min, Biography, Drama, History

Directors: Ben Taylor

Stars: Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton, Bill Nighy

Set in late 1960s and 70s Britain, the film follows young nurse and embryologist Jean Purdy as she teams up with scientist Robert Edwards and surgeon Patrick Steptoe to develop in vitro fertilisation. Their small lab becomes a battleground where hope, faith, and ethics collide, as churches, politicians, newspapers, and medical colleagues question their work and motives. The tone balances intimate character drama with quietly uplifting moments, showing the strain on personal lives, the fragile trust of would-be parents, and the stubborn optimism that keeps the trio experimenting.