Review of Joe (2014) by Tommy 'See The Treasure' S — 02 Jun 2014

I find it quite interesting that David Gordon Green and Nicolas Cage should work together on a project. I think it's fair to say that both careers have had their ups and downs. After bringing us some indie gems(George Washington, Undertow etc), Gordon-Green's career took a baffling detour into silly, and often quite terrible, comedies(The Sitter, Your Highness). In this movie he wisely returns to the Americana roots that made his earlier work interesting. As for Cage, while I think he's made some questionable career choices you can never quite write him off. Every time he makes a string of terrible movies he comes back with a performance that reminds us of why he is one of the best actors in the world, and even in bad movies his performances are at least committed. In movies like Adaptation, Matchstick Men and Kick Ass he has given some of the most brilliant and singularly eccentric performances of recent years. In this dark rural drama we have the privilege of seeing these two talented individuals on top form and getting the best out of each other.

Even admirers of Cage's work may be impressed by the subtlety and restraint he shows in the role of an ex-con named Joe, who runs a tree-poisoning company. Cage is in tough, lumberjack-mode as this rough-hewn southerner and he plays the part wonderfully. One could draw a pretty funny comparison with Cage's less nuanced and more quirky performance in Con Air, another movie in which he plays an ex-con with a soft heart and a southern drawl. But there is not a false note in Cage's performance here- from his husky smoker's cough to his rural mumble, his authenticity and grim sincerity dominates every scene. Of course, it helps that the character is superbly written. Gordon Green cleverly takes his time in acquainting us with this character, allowing us to observe his daily mechanics. We watch Joe doing everything from joking around with his fellow workers to humanly falling asleep in front of the TV. As the movie progresses you may or may not like Joe, but you will certainly accept him as a human being. He is a character of good and bad qualities. He treats his workers with respect, and inspires their respect in return; He learns to genuinely care about a young boy and he feels responsible for him. However, he has human frailties; He visits prostitutes, drinks and gambles; He has a violent temper that is linked with a sense of bristling injustice.

Tyler Sheridan, so impressive in last year's 'Mud,' is very natural as the 15 year old Gary, the emotional centre of the movie. He is the character, balanced between naivity and anger, who is most at risk. As audience members our hopes are his hopes. We wish for this character to escape his desperately bleak home life. Remarkably (with the exception of Sheridan and Cage) the cast is generally made up of untrained non-actors, the most impressive of them being Gary Poulter as Gary's cruel father, as nasty and unsettling a depiction of paternal evil as you will ever see.

The direction from David Gordon Green is first-rate, capturing the southern-gothic mood and feel of his earlier projects. His sense of place is rich, capturing beautiful shots of the rustic landscape. You can tell that he is a director who has a deep affection for these places and the people who inhabit them. His casting of unknown actors and actresses is an inspired choice which brings an added touch of authenticity. He treats his characters with empathy and affection, and cares deeply about their upheavals and hopes. Based on a novel by Larry Brown, Joe is a bleak yet hopeful tale that is beautifully made and wonderfully acted.