James Norton seems to be everywhere lately, with a trio of big TV dramas out last year followed by House of the Dragon season 3 (which is currently airing) and plenty of rumours that he could be the next James Bond.
If you fancy watching one of his projects that has gone slightly under the radar, we’d suggest Joy, a 2024 film penned by Toxic Town and Adolescence‘s Jack Thorne.
Set across the late 1960s and into the 1970s, the film follows a team of scientists as they set out to create the world’s first ‘test tube baby’ – or, as it’s more commonly known, in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
Who stars in Joy?
- Bill Nighy (About Time) as Patrick Steptoe
- Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit, Last Night in Soho) as Jean Purdy
- James Norton (House of the Dragon) as Robert Edwards
- Joanna Scanlan (Wicked Little Letters) as Gladys
- Charlie Murphy (Peaky Blinders) as Trisha
- Tanya Moodie (Motherland) as Muriel
- Ruth Madeley (Doctor Who) as Maggie
- Miles Jupp (Balamory) as George
What did critics say about Joy?
On Rotten Tomatoes, Joy has an impressive critics’ score of 89% positive from 55 reviews, with Empire‘s review reading: “Made with love, even in its awkward moments, this modest account of a miraculous achievement is quietly life-affirming.”
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“Joy is not all joy,” wrote the Associated Press. “There is frustration and loss and tears along the way, but it is a triumphant film about the way humans can make the world better and how a baby’s cry can be a priceless gift.”
Metro called the film “Reminiscent of stalwart British historic dramas such as The Imitation Game and Theory of Everything […] a real salt-of-the-earth drama with several endearing qualities to keep you hooked.”
In Digital Spy‘s own review, we said: “It’s the trio of strong, engaging performances from Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton, and Bill Nighy that hold Joy together. [… It’s] an entertaining and thoughtful drama that brings an important part of British history to life, rightfully putting Jean Purdy at its heart.”
Where can I watch Joy?
Joy (sometimes subtitled The Birth of IVF) is a Netflix exclusive, so that’s the only place to stream it. It looks like you can’t buy or rent it from digital storefronts or even buy it on disc.
Other James Norton movies to stream now
Although perhaps best known as a TV actor, Norton has plenty of film roles under his belt.
One of his earliest movie projects Belle is available to stream on Disney+, while political thriller Mr Jones is available with a Prime Video subscription.
Norton even has a role in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, which is also available on Netflix if you fancy a double bill.
Joy is available to stream now on Netflix.