Overview
A forbidden love blossoms amidst the vibrant chaos of dance and self-discovery.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- intimate
- poignant
- reflective evening
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly celebrated the film as a sensitive, beautifully performed, and emotionally resonant portrait of queer desire, family pressure, and rigid gender norms in contemporary Pakistani society.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Haider, Mumtaz, Biba, and the extended family are constrained by expectations around masculinity, marriage, work, and producing a male heir.
Haider's attraction to Biba collides with his marriage to Mumtaz and his obligations to his traditional family.
Haider's work as a backup dancer and Biba's control of the burlesque show create a space where gender and desire can be performed more freely.
Dazzling lights and movement on club floors are set against silences and close domestic scenes within the family home.
Films like Joyland, and why
The Blue Caftan
sensitive queer drama examining desire, family pressure, and social repression in contemporary South Asian society
A Fantastic Woman
intimate LGBTQ+ relationship drama shaped by secrecy, gender expectations, and a culturally specific family world
Fire
poignant South Asian family drama where sexuality, tradition, and personal freedom collide
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
melancholic character-driven drama about constrained lives, forbidden desire, and oppressive social norms
Movie Details
- Director
- Saim Sadiq
- Release Date
- 2022-11-18
- Runtime
- 127 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (172)
Cast
- Ali Junejo
- Rasti Farooq
- Alina Khan
- Sarwat Gilani
- Salmaan Peerzada
- Sohail Sameer
- Sania Saeed
- Ramiz Law
- Honey Albela
- Priya Usman Khan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Philo, OVID, Fandor Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Dekkoo Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Joyland about?
- A tender yet devastating Pakistani family drama follows a married man whose secret attraction to a transgender performer exposes the suffocating demands of tradition.
- What is Joyland like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Joyland as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Joyland violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Joyland as mild.
- What did critics think of Joyland?
- Critics broadly celebrated the film as a sensitive, beautifully performed, and emotionally resonant portrait of queer desire, family pressure, and rigid gender norms in contemporary Pakistani society.
- Which films are like Joyland?
- Films with a similar feel include The Blue Caftan, A Fantastic Woman, Fire, and Portrait of a Lady on Fire.
- How long is Joyland?
- Joyland runs 127 minutes.
- Where can I watch Joyland?
- In United States, Joyland streams on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, OVID, Fandor Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Dekkoo Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel.
