Joy

Joy êêê 1/2 ( Not Rated )

Reviewed By George O. Singleton

Illusions of progress toward the American Dream

Kevin: Jackie Alexander	Joy: Lizzy Davis
Jason: Reginald James	Bayo: April Parker
Reverend Stephens: Lee Dobson	Allison: Marlene O'Haire
Writer/Producer/Director: Jackie Alexander

30-second bottom line: A college graduate, who has made it in corporate America, has wonderful parents and the ideal fiancée, learns that assumptions by figures of authority in our society can lead to disastrous consequences. When all is said and done, it's not the job or the money but a supportive community with family and friends that ensures that sunshine comes after the rain.

Story Line: Kevin and Joy (Jackie Alexander and Lizzy Davis) are living the good life with the prospects that things will only get better after they are married. He takes a morning swim in his lap pool before Joy heads to work and they plan a nooner if their schedules permit. Joy's parents are on cloud nine planning the wedding and Kevin's parents have a meal ready whenever he stops by. If he stays more than five minutes at their house and there is dust on his car, his father is washing it for him. It seems that the only thing that makes Kevin's' world less than perfect is his sister on his case for being a spoiled son and Reverend Stephens, who thinks that Kevin is a token black at his company since there are no minorities on their Board of Directors. The Reverend is most suspicious of doing business with Kevin's' firm.

In the Bedroom was an Academy Award nominated film from last year that sneaked up on you with a twist in the story just when you thought you knew where it was going; Joy shocks even more. It's a better story in that rather than seeking revenge for a perceived wrong, the victim takes a realistic look at how to fight back and assuage one's sorrow by using legal means.

Tell me more about it: When something really bad happens and you

can't turn the clock back, learning to live with the pain may be the

right thing to do but it's easier said than done. If there is any

redemption it may be that you have been able to take action, which

might keep the event that happened to you from touching others.

Only then can you say there was a purpose to what occurred.

Just recently a 24-year-old white police office pleaded innocent to

assaulting a 16-year-old black teenager who was handcuffed. It was

videotaped and his partner has been charged by a grand jury with filing a false police report.

Haven't we learned from the Rodney King fiasco and other police

altercations that the punishment should fit the crime? What happens

to one person can happen to another, regardless of race, age, social

standing, where you live, or any other demographic fact. Joy is an

insightful drama on life in America.

I'd like to believe that everyone is equal under the law. There's been a

conversation about that since July of 1776. Maybe before long, it will

truly become a reality. The time for that came a long time ago.

Not Rated- for mature audiences

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