Reel Review: Finding Joy Missed it’s Mark for the Holidays

Finding Joy is Prime Video’s newest holiday film, and despite being a Tyler Perry production, the film misses a few marks.

The film stars Shannon Thornton as Joy, a fashion designer in New York. Joy has a complicated romantic life, and she tends to fall too soon in many of her relationships. When a last minute decision sends her flying out to Colorado, Joy finds herself driving through a snowstorm and ending up in a small cabin off the grid. Now, she is forced to live in the middle of nowhere with the cabin’s owner, Ridge (Tosin Morohunfola).

Many holiday films deliver on the same classic cliches, and Finding Joy definitely does as well. However, the film didn’t feel different or unique enough to separate itself in any way. Joy and Ridge go from enemies to lovers in a matter of minutes; leaving no room for banter or struggle. Joy quickly accepts Ridge - a total stranger’s - offer to live with him and their fate is sealed.

The film is also quite predictable. Joy and Ridge are forced to stay in one small place, and as a result, end up sharing their life stories with one another. Joy, being a hopeless romantic, wishes for a man to love her back. And Ridge, still struggling over the loss of his mother, struggles to let anyone in. Thornton and Morohunfol’s chemistry is what saves these more emotional scenes. 

Where we are met with emotionally intense scenes, the film also tries for comedic as well. Though the physical comedy came across as more cringy than funny at times. Joy has two friends, Ashley and Littia, who stay back in New York and are trying to track her the whole time. Brittany S. Hall and Inayah’s performances were lighthearted and fun and gave some personality to the film.

While the story in Finding Joy had potential for some holiday magic, it was the execution that missed the mark throughout the film. Overall, Finding Joy felt very Hallmark for Prime Video’s usual film productions.