You’d think a movie about mixing our precious bodily fluids in a petri dish wouldn’t be the best, most riveting film ever. And it’s not… but it’s still a fine film about how science can help save the world while reactionary, backwards idiots just get in the way.

Joy: The Birth of IVF is about the struggle of a small group of scientists in the 60s and 70s to induce pregnancies outside the womb. A practice that seems perfectly reasonable to most people today, but Satanic and anti-God to all the chuckleheads back in the day.

So the flick works as a story of people trying to achieve a goal while the irrational fight back. As such, you want to root for these people and boo hiss the complacent scientists who don’t see the point and the nosy naysayers who always get in the way. It can be as frustrating and maddening as it is inspirational.

The acting is strong all the way around from Thomasin McKenzie, Bill Nighy, and James Norton as the leads. They put the effort of making science and frustration dramatic but its McKenzie who has the strongest role with more backstory and personal issues.

It’s a perfectly good film that tells a slice of history I was unfamiliar with. It’s warm, thoughtful, and reminds us that choice has not always meant the same thing but its always been an struggle.

Score: 84