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With Great Joy

Name: With Great Joy
Director: Lodewijk Crijns
Released: 2001
Duration: 90 min

Representation Score

4.1/10

Fair

2001

Director

Lodewijk Crijns

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

With Great Joy is a psychological drama that emphasizes interpersonal tension and the deconstruction of the nuclear family. It explores the 'outsider' status of characters who reject mainstream societal integration. However, the film lacks diverse representation, focusing primarily on a homogeneous social unit. It does not provide explicit markers of LGBTQ+ or disabled identities, maintaining a localized perspective.

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Category Breakdown

Does With Great Joy have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film hints at non-traditional lifestyles through a secluded domestic setting. While the secret kept by Ad and Els suggests something unconventional, the film does not explicitly confirm any queer identities.

How does With Great Joy portray gender?

Fair

The story explores the tension between traditional marriages and more autonomous, unconventional partnerships. It highlights the complex lives of its central characters and the societal expectations they face.

How racially and ethnically diverse is With Great Joy?

Limited

The narrative focuses on a homogeneous, European-centric social unit. There is no evidence of a multi-ethnic cast or diverse racial representation.

How does With Great Joy represent religion and culture?

Good

The film critiques mainstream Western social pressures by focusing on characters who have withdrawn from society. Their secluded lifestyle is presented as a mystery rather than a moral failure.

Does With Great Joy include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no indication of characters with visible or invisible disabilities. Disability is not used as a narrative device in this story.

Present on Screen

Explores the complexities of unconventional domestic partnerships.
Critiques the pressures of modern Western social integration.
Deconstructs the perceived stability of the traditional nuclear family.

Limited or Absent

Lacks racial and multi-ethnic diversity within the cast.
Provides no explicit representation of LGBTQ+ or disabled identities.
Maintains a highly localized and homogeneous social focus.

Official Synopsis

By accident, Luc discovers the whereabouts of his brother Ad, who mysteriously disappeared fifteen years before. As it turns out, he is living with Els, secluded from the rest of the world, on a farm. Luc decides to stay a few days, even though he and his wife Mieke are not welcome at first. After a while, Mieke heads home. Also, Luc hears strange sounds coming from a barn at the farm. He decides to investigate the matter. He discovers a secret that Ad and Els have been hiding for years.

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