Joy

Director Julie Shles' Joy won five Israeli Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Sigalit Fuchs, who stars as Joy Levine, a schlubby 35-year-old who can't get her life together (and doesn't seem to want to). Joy lives in squalor, her father is losing control of his bladder, her mother constantly nags her to find a husband, and she has a married boyfriend who treats her more like a sex toy than a human being. Joy's only hope lies in the fact that she has managed to convince a reality TV show to throw a surprise party for her parents, ostensibly so they can reconcile with estranged (for decades) friends. Although billed as a dark comedy, Joy is more bleak than funny. Still, given the boatload of awards it won at home, this should be considered a strong optional purchase. (M. Johanson)