The Joy of Life

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The Joy of Life

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1h 5m

Documentary

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92%

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13 Reviews

43%

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250+ Ratings

History and experimental narrative blend two San Francisco stories, one of the Golden Gate Bridge and suicides, and the second of a lesbian searching for love and self-discovery.

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Brandon Judell

indieWire

Another perfect film with a masterful screenplay

Sep 18, 2018

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Rob Nelson

Village Voice

The result is gently hypnotic.

Nov 7, 2014

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Sam Adams

Philadelphia City Paper

The Joy of Life combines intriguing but incompatible parts.

Nov 7, 2014

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David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

Olson's awesome debut is actually two film novellas that straddle the parallel themes of ultimate joy and despair, one found in the embrace of a lover, the other in a desperate leap from one of the world's most heartbreakingly beautiful landmarks.

May 7, 2020

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Eric Campos

Film Threat

The Joy of Life is an experimental film with an experiment that works.

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 7, 2014

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Dennis Harvey

San Francisco Bay Guardian

The Joy of Life is a cinematic love poem of sorts, just semirequited, as most things involving love are.

Nov 7, 2014

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Audience Member

A purposefully meandering meditation on lust, love and death in San Francisco the cumulative impression of which is sublimely affirmative.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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Audience Member

I could watch this movie a hundred times. In fact, I have.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

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Audience Member

I did not really like this movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

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Jenni Olson

Director

Harriet Dodge

Actor

Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Actor

Jenni Olson

Screenwriter

Tom Rielly

Executive Producer

Scott Noble

Co-Producer

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Synopsis

History and experimental narrative blend two San Francisco stories, one of the Golden Gate Bridge and suicides, and the second of a lesbian searching for love and self-discovery.

Director: Jenni Olson
Screenwriter: Jenni Olson
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 23, 2017
Runtime: 1h 5m