The Merchants of Joy Review: In this warm documentary film, five NYC families turn the sidewalks into holiday outposts as they hustle to save a family tradition at risk.
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The Merchants of Joy Movie Director
Celia Aniskovich
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The Merchants of Joy Prime Video Producers
Celia Aniskovich, Zoe Vock, Arthur Spector, Joshua Davis, Joshuah Bearman
The film, with a runtime of 90 minutes, is based on the Epic Magazine & New York Magazine article, Secrets of the Christmas Tree Trade by Owen Long.
The Merchants of Joy Review
In this rather amusing and entertaining documentary film, viewers are taken on a journey through the Christmas tree business in New York City, a world that many might take for granted. The film offers an honest and grounded look at the hours of labour, the competition and the camaraderie that goes on behind the scenes with a humorous lens that might open your eyes to some shocking things that will leave you jaw on the floor.
Based on a rather entertaining article by Owen Long, this film presents a human story that focuses on turf wars and financial stresses and gives them space to discuss their lives intimately. Sometimes, these discussions get a bit too intimate in the wrong direction, but the film tries to brush it off as an in-depth look into what makes these people tick.
The film’s better moments are possibly getting a deeper look into an industry that most are not aware of. Turf wars being the most interesting part of this story, we do get some insight from all of the people who appear in front of us, ready to share whatever they can. However, in a rather surprising turn, the series never really commits to going deep enough to leave an impact in any direction. We don’t see deep into any of these people’s personal lives, nor do we see enough of these professional situations.
Director Aniskovich is fine with delving deep, but never deep enough, leaving it to be half-baked instead of fully cooked. It’s a shame, but the subject matter is rather interesting, but viewers won’t be satisfied in the end. The film also doesn’t shine a light on all of the families equally, and the brash personalities will rub viewers the wrong way. While some of this can be amusing at first, after 90 minutes, it tends to get on your nerves as you see past the brashness into the ego.
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Moreover, although the series would like to make you think that this is a holiday film, The Merchants of Joy is surprisingly joyless in that sense. Apart from the shocking egos that will leave a bad taste in your mouth, the film seems to be in search of a kind of warmth that is hard to get by here. And, I get it – this is a cutthroat industry that can’t really go by on holiday cheer alone. But the film can get rather depressing at times, and I found the unnecessary, exploitative moments that, again, are oddly half-baked to take away from any cheer that one can feel for it.
Final Thoughts
The Merchants of Joy is fine. It attempts to get deep into the Christmas tree business, which it does a good job of, but lacks in a lot of other ways. In the end, thus, it delivers a decent watch that turns unimpressive by the end of the runtime.
What are your thoughts on The Merchants of Joy? Let us know in the comments below!
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