Review of Joe (2014) by Brett H — 26 Jan 2015

A strong return to form for both David Gordon Green but especially Nicolas Cage who dug deep and reminded us that he can act really well if given the right project to sink his teeth into. The film is very reminiscent of Mud, and even features young, Tye Sheridan in a similar role, but Joe's disturbed and rebellious character is a bit more fascinating to me than, Mud.

A true stand-out in the film isn't even an actor, but an actual alcoholic, homeless man who completely sold his desperate and abusive father character; and tragically passed away shortly after filming was completed.

The story takes some really dark turns I wasn't expecting and there is a scene between two men and a bottle of wine that was horrible to watch. The plot does meander a bit though and Joe's random visits to local areas sometimes comes across as meaningless.

This is a great vehicle for Tye Sheridan to grow, and Nicolas Cage to prove his worth that features one of his best roles in a long time and David Gordon Green handles the backwoods darkness well.