The Joy of Life

Play trailer

The Joy of Life

2005

1h 5m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

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.

Brandon Judell

indieWire

Another perfect film with a masterful screenplay

Sep 18, 2018

Full Review

Rob Nelson

Village Voice

The result is gently hypnotic.

Nov 7, 2014

Full Review

Sam Adams

Philadelphia City Paper

The Joy of Life combines intriguing but incompatible parts.

Nov 7, 2014

Full Review

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

Full Review

Eric Campos

Film Threat

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

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 7, 2014

Full Review

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

Full Review

Read all reviews

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

Full Review

Audience Member

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

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I did not really like this movie.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Jenni Olson

Director

Harriet Dodge

Actor

Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Actor

Jenni Olson

Screenwriter

Tom Rielly

Executive Producer

Scott Noble

Co-Producer

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

View more photos

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