MELBOURNE, 1 Dec 2024: First, it is essential to know and understand what is ‘in vitro fertilization’ (IVF). In a lay-person explanation, it means, having a baby without sexual intercourse, with a procedure where, as the Britinnica says, ” …mature egg cells are removed from a woman, fertilized with male sperm outside the body, and inserted into the uterus of the same or another woman for normal gestation.”
“Although IVF with reimplantation of fertilized eggs (ova) has long been widely used in animal breeding, the first successful birth of a human child from IVF, carried out by British gynecologist Patrick Steptoe and British medical researcher Robert Edwards, did not take place until 1978.”
Through this method the baby born was named Joy (Lousie Joy Brown), an English woman, to be the first to give birth to a baby using the IVF on 25 July, 1978. ‘Joy’ is the exciting story of how all this happened and many a ethical issues propped up, as the reproductive system considered the domain of ‘God’ or ‘Nature’ stood demolished. Science triumphed. It gave a medical procedure that brought joy to millions across the world unable to conceive a baby.
The movie’s timeframe is from May 1968, Cambridge to 25 July, 1978, ten years of hard work, determination and finally success. This journey of success is strewn with thorns, like “don’t touch the Church” and family pressure, faced by one important team member from her mother. It is emotional and heart wrenching. The clash of orthodoxy and science is evident. It’s a dilemma but, it is also that there is “biological and social expectation to have a child”. And, the steps taken for where the natural system fails, it has to be solved with human endeavour using scientific research and methods.
In a nutshell, the movie is through the perspective of Jean Purdy, the young nurse and embryologist, who joined forces with scientist Robert Edwards and surgeon Patrick Steptoe to unlock the puzzle of infertility by pioneering in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The film celebrates the power of perseverance and the wonders of science as it follows this maverick trio of visionaries who overcame tremendous odds and opposition to realise their dream, and in doing so allowed millions of people to dream with them.
This well-directed movie weaves it’s characters as needed, with stellar performances by the actors. The emotional stress, superstitious odds, surging determination to write a success story is well crafted by the actors. This is not an entertainment movie, rather it is a celebration of human success where scientific temper triumphs over the forces of superstition, religious bigotry, and pseudo-science. The very forces we confront across the globe today.
I have seen (in India) women being hounded for not being able to conceive a baby. They are known in North India as ‘Banjh’ (infertile) and always blamed for not conceiving. People just abandon them, treat inhumanly and society disdain’s them. Being the son of a gynaecologist mom, I heard about many such incidents. Little did I know, one day science will give to such women hope for the joy of having a baby. Incredibly, this movie is the best I have ever seen.
Lastly, the good news – “Since the birth of Louise Joy Brown, more than 12 million IVF babies have been born worldwide”, the movie informs. It speaks for itself.
I give ‘Joy’ 4 and half stars out of 5.
CREW: Ben Taylor (Director), Finola Dwyer (Producer) (Co-Producer, Amanda Posey Producer (Co-Producer), Cameron McCracken Producer (Executive Producer) & Jack Thorne (Writer)
Cast: Bill Nighy (Patrick Steptoe), James Norton (Robert Edwards), Thomasin McKenzie (Jean Purdy)
Origin: UK
Streaming on Netflix.
