Joyland

This depiction of Pakistan is patriarchal and misogynistic. The almost-70 patriach of the Rana clan rules, while the son of the neighboring widow tries to control his mother. Regardless of education or qualifications, women are supposed to be housewives and bearer of (preferably male) children.

Younger son Haider is in an unconventional arranged marriage. Wife Mumtaz works at a beauty salon, while he stays home and is uncle-parent to his nieces. Being belittled and harassed by his father for not working, he accepts a job suggested by a friend as a backup dancer - to Biba, a trans woman - while telling his family that the job is a theater manager. As someone who has never left his home city of Lahore, he falls in love with this more-worldly woman, and his late-night "work" has his wife suspicious.

By western standards, the production values are erratic, and I may have missed some minor plot points due to that. The acting is believable, and the depiction of life is good (I liked the scene in the "women's car" on mass transit.) The film is daring in the subject matter of trans folk and non-traditional sexuality. I saw this at the Toronto International Film Festival, where in the Q+A the director admitted difficulty in casting Haider, when some actors turned down the role after learning of the story. The title, incidentally, refers not just to the amusement park that plays a minor role, but also to people trying to find their place of happiness.

Joyland is a pertinent reflection of historically underrepresented voices in society. It is relatable to anyone who feels excluded from social opportunities or feels unheard and unseen, or simply feel as if they do not belong....

Joyland juggles heavy subject matters with such integrity. In the 126 minutes the characters offend as readily as they amuse the audience with the reality of not pursuing their dream or desires and settling for something they don't want.

The cinematography and visuals are mesmerising, and absolutely brilliant acting by all actors.

Do not miss this MASTERPIECE......

The fact that I got to watch this in a Pakistani cinema feels really great.

Joyland is a movie told in moments and every scene still has me in a chokehold. I was sobbing by the end and for me, if a movie can move you to tears then its a great one!

It will also make you very uncomfortable and it should because what we see on the screen is a reality of every women and every trans person. This is our life on screen and its a mirror to our society.

The cast was stellar and I truly hope that Pakistanis continue to make movies that tells a real story. I am also so freaking proud that we didn't let the bigots win this time.

The prison you call home has let you go, exchanging places with your wife to earn some dough, leaves her trapped and isolated, while you become more animated, and discover what deep down, you've always known; as you fall for dancer Biba who you're supporting, on the stage but after hours you are cavorting, in a world that can be rigid, you find yourself no longer frigid, then you misjudge the whole vibe, with your contorting.

It's a wonderful and brave piece of cinema that breaks boundaries by some measure (and quite rightly so), as Haider falls for the elegant transgender Biba, and his wife Mumtaz pays the penalty for his indiscretions.

Joyland is a deep, emotional and quite sad film. The moments of happiness are quite often also wrapped in pain and guilt and the sad moments take the lead in the whole story.

Joyland is a film about a Pakistani man that finds a job as a background dancer in an erotic theatre. The main dancer is trans, who you can see struggles with how she is perceived in society as "not a real woman". The two fall in love which causes problems between the man and his wife. Who live with the father, brother, wife in-law (and their kids), of the man. Who are more conservative.

This film shows the struggles of people who fall out of order in the traditional Pakistani society. Women who want to work although they are married, trans people who are not perceived as the gender they embody no matter what they do and men who don't fit in the masculine stereotype set out by society.

The cinematography and ambience is great in this film. The reason why I gave it a 7 ( although more of an 7,5) was because at times the story felt somewhat slow and boring in a sense, although quite some stuff was happening. I would say over all you should absolutely watch this beautiful film, it will bring you in touch with a world you probably haven't seen before.