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Joy to the World

Name: Joy to the World
Director: Jerry Ciccoritti
Released: 2025
Duration: 87 min

Representation Score

4.0/10

Fair

2025

Director

Jerry Ciccoritti

Runtime

87 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Joy to the World follows the conventions of the romantic comedy genre, using a familiar 'fake husband' cliché to explore the protection of a curated public image. The film diversifies the typical holiday rom-com through its casting, featuring actors like Emmanuelle Chriqui and Ayesha Curry. However, the narrative emphasizes traditional social structures, focusing on idealized domesticity and Western holiday aesthetics without challenging conventional family models.

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Category Breakdown

Does Joy to the World have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The story revolves around a heterosexual relationship that includes a fake marriage cliché. There is no indication of LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships.

How does Joy to the World portray gender?

Fair

Joy Edwards holds a position of professional authority as a lifestyle expert. Her decision to orchestrate a deception to protect her brand demonstrates her significant role in driving the story.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Joy to the World?

Fair

The ensemble includes diverse actors such as Emmanuelle Chriqui and Ayesha Curry, suggesting a move away from the traditionally homogeneous casts seen in holiday-themed romantic comedies.

How does Joy to the World represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film adheres to traditional Western holiday clichés and focuses on the aesthetic of the nuclear family and maintaining a commercialized lifestyle brand.

Does Joy to the World include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no mention of characters with visible or invisible disabilities in the provided cast or synopsis.

Present on Screen

Features diverse actors like Emmanuelle Chriqui and Ayesha Curry, breaking the mold of traditional holiday films.
The female protagonist holds professional authority and drives the central plot.

Limited or Absent

Reinforces conventional Western ideals of domestic perfection and traditional family structures.
Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth characters.
Does not include characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Lifestyle guru Joy Edwards - whose cookbooks feature her perfect home life and family - is horrified when a TV network decides to film Christmas dinner at her fabled, but fabricated, country home. Now, she must recruit her best friend Max to pose as her fake husband for the cameras - but they both discover something real along the way.

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