‘Joy Will Prevail’ movie review: A handsomely made, but inertly indulgent biopic
Max Korman’s biopic *Joy Will Prevail* follows architect Louis Kahn as he is invited by the director’s grandfather, Steve, to design a family home. The review finds the film lovingly made and personally informed, but says its narrow focus and lack of dramatic tension make it difficult to engage with unless viewers already care about Kahn.
Griffin Dunne plays Kahn as an eccentric architect, while Ben Rosenfield portrays Steve, a wealthy family man whose idealism rarely faces serious challenge. The film includes footage of Kahn’s buildings and a reference to Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, but the review argues these elements feel underdeveloped and that the story offers too little insight into Kahn’s career to recommend it.
In short
- A personal biopic of architect Louis Kahn lacks dramatic tension.
- Griffin Dunne leads a film the review finds too contained.
- Historical and architectural details are only intermittently explored.
Explained simply
Louis Kahn was a prominent 20th-century architect known for monumental buildings, including projects in the United States and abroad. His work has been widely discussed by architects and historians, while his personal life and working relationships have also drawn interest.
The film centres on Kahn’s connection with Steve, a wealthy family man who asks him to design a home. It also touches on Kahn’s buildings and the period around Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, giving viewers some context for his career and the wider events of the time.