Seeing joy personified is striking. This week, I had the pleasure of not only seeing "Inside Out" in theaters but also binge-watching the first season of the "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmitt." Both shows have protagonists (Joy from "Inside Out" and Kimmy from the "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmitt") who are fiercely joyful and they sucked me in, right through the screen. No matter what befalls these two characters, they approach the problem at hand with unflagging happiness. Their future is out of their control, their pasts are past and so they choose to thrive in their present.
In "Inside Out," Joy (portrayed by Amy Poehler) is our hero. The film anthropomorphizes the five emotions (Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear) of Riley, an 11-year-old girl who moves to a new city. These emotions sit at a control panel inside Riley’s head and press buttons to control her emotions. We see at the beginning of "Inside Out" that Riley’s first emotion is Joy, embodying the wonder of existence, and Joy remains the most powerful even as other emotions move into her Headquarters. In the face of conflict, another emotion may control Riley’s first reaction, but Joy is a beacon of positivity. She eventually finds a way to make the most of any bad situation. After Riley’s family moves, Riley is faced with a huge set of challenges and, for a time, she loses sight of her Joy. Her other emotions reign, and she becomes very moody. Meanwhile, Joy works subconsciously and uses all of her resources to save Riley from hurting herself (I’m being intentionally vague, so you go see the movie). When we let ourselves be controlled by joy, we are happier and we project happiness to those around us. We look out on our problems and instead see them as opportunities to help ourselves or others.
In the "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmitt," Kimmy’s joie de vivre never gives over to self-pity. Kimmy was kidnapped when she was 16 and held captive underground with four other women by a phony reverend for 15 years. Upon being released, Kimmy is bombarded by the media, but she shirks them off, deciding to move to New York and start over. She re-christens herself “Kimmy Smith” and chooses anonymity over stardom, basking in her freedom. Kimmy lives in amazement of the world; every new discovery brings her joy. This contrasts with the other characters on the show, who seek approval from other people without first accepting themselves. For example, a friend who was also held in captivity with Kimmy takes advantage of the media’s attention and the pity of those around her. Kimmy refuses to be pitied, saying, “I still believe that the world is good, that bunnies are nice, that snakes are mean, and that one day Sandra Bullock will find someone who deserves her." We have no doubt about the strength of her spirit.
Who says the entertainment industry can’t bring us lasting joy? We don’t have to fall into the mantra that tells us we aren’t pretty or smart enough. We should endorse movies and films that remind us of the power of positivity and of how capable and strong we are. Let the movie/Netflix magic permeate our beings and go out and spread some joy to the people we love.
