NIC GAUGE / Joe
MOVIE: Joe
STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Roderick L. Polk, Adriene Mishler
RELEASE DATE: April 9th, 2014
WHERE TO WATCH: VOD (Amazon Prime, Hulu, Ruku, Vudu)
By Justin Pomerville (2 Broke Geeks)
Gary (Tye Sheridan) and Joe Ransom (Nicolas Cage) in Joe.
Seeing Nicolas Cage doing serious dramatic roles really is a sight. I always reference Pig because he really shows a full spectrum of talent in that film. So, it’s always refreshing when you find another film that has a similar feel, much like today’s film, Joe.
The plot follows Joe (played by Cage) who is a foreman for a Texas tree poisoning crew as he gets involved in the life of 15-year-old Gary (played by Tye Sheridan). He hires Gary and learns about his life as a penniless boy trying to provide for his mother and daughter while dealing with his abusive drunk father, Wade (played by Gary Poulter). While helping Gary to overcome his challenges and put him on a path of greater purpose, Joe himself is dealing with his inner demons as he finds himself stuck in a mess he made of his life.
Joe (Nicolas Cage) and Gary (Tye Sheridan) in Joe.
Watching Joe and Gary’s interactions with each other is great. You can see the chemistry they build off the “elder teaching the youth” troupe. I use that loosely because although the overall story is that, there is an inner laying storyline that pulls you out of it. This is because it’s a Nic Cage film in the early 2010s and there has to be some action. That action just feels out of place, because it comes out of nowhere.
Wille (Ronnie Gene Blevins) and Gary (Tye Sheridan) in Joe.
This film is based on a book of the same name, and I’m sure it is better explained there. The side story is a guy named Willie (played by Ronnie Gene Blevins) is mad at Joe for fighting him in a bar. Willie also comes across Gary and insults his family, which results in Gary beating him up. Willie then decides that both of them need to “learn a lesson” and spends the film seeking revenge. Willie’s whole arc is odd, out of place, and also super petty if you really pay attention. Willie’s not a crime boss or some guy of great power. He is just a guy. Because of Willie’s storyline, that drops Joe into the lower end of “Good” on the Nic Gauge.