‘Joy’ Review: Thomasin McKenzie Charms in This Serious British Fertility Drama – London Film Festival

The events leading up to July 1978 and the birth in Manchester of the world’s first “test-tube baby” – the tabloid term for the process more soberly known as IVF (in vitro fertilization) – are fascinating in every way. It’s a story of determination, skill and genuine genius, focusing on three humble and largely unsung heroes driven primarily by a spirit of pure human goodness. As fascinating as it is, Ben Taylor’s warm, intelligent and ever-respectful film, which had its world premiere at the London Film Festival this week, struggles to harness the same flash as science.

Ostensibly an ensemble piece, “Joy” is actually a vehicle for the charming Thomasin McKenzie, the young New Zealand actress who made her breakthrough in 2018’s “Leave No Trace” and makes a welcome return to drama here. In a rare case of age-appropriate casting…