Joy is a 2024 British biographical drama film starring Bill Nighy, Thomasin McKenzie and James Norton.

Directed by Ben Taylor from a screenplay by Jack Thorne, it is the true story of the world's first in vitro fertilisation baby Louise Brown.

Based on real events in the 1960s and 1970s, nurse and embryologist Jean Purdy, visionary scientist Dr Robert Edwards and innovative surgeon Patrick Steptoe work to develop the first 'test tube baby'.

In 1968 Nurse Jean Purdy gets hired at the University of Cambridge for a lab manager post, by scientist Dr Robert Edwards.

Together, they recruit innovative obstretician and surgeon Patrick Steptoe to join them in reproduction research, in an effort to combat infertility in women.

Opponents to their research claim a greater risk of abnormalities, and also fear future creation of humans artificially as mad scientists.

In early 1973, after another decidedly negative television appearance, the researchers begin to implant embryos in a few of the women which end up eventually failing in varying ways.

By following Jean's idea to resume the study by following each woman's natural cycle, in the summer of 1978, they finally produce the first 'test tube baby', to which Robert gives the name "Joy".

[4] The cast is led by Bill Nighy, James Norton and Thomasin McKenzie and also includes Joanna Scanlan, Charlie Murphy, Tanya Moodie, Ella Bruccoleri and Rish Shah.

The website's consensus reads: "Handsomely made and given some verve by a deliciously dry Bill Nighy, Joy is an uplifting tribute to the miracles of science.