It’s a scientific breakthrough that touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals; a technique that gave fresh hope to innumerable childless couples. But as this solid, workmanlike drama reveals, the development of IVF was fraught with controversy. The core team of visionary scientist Robert Edwards (James Norton), surgeon Patrick Steptoe (Bill Nighy) and laboratory manager and gifted embryologist Jean Purdy (Thomasin McKenzie) had to contend with intense media scrutiny, bitter ethical debates and accusations of “playing God”.

Written by Jack Thorne and directed by Ben Taylor (Sex Education), Joy explores the considerable personal cost to Purdy in particular; devoutly religious, she found herself estranged from her mother and rejected by her church. It’s an atmospherically dour period piece that captures the dispiriting colour palettes of 1970s Britain evocatively. Curiously, though, given the emotive subject matter, the film chooses to keep the potential mothers at arm’s length as characters, losing tear-jerking opportunities as a consequence.

• In UK and Irish cinemas now/on Netflix from 22 November