Gary Poulter might have died unlamented and unknown to any but those that might have had to identify the body since the man did pass away after completing a role that will keep him around as a decent memory for a lot of people that had the opportunity to work with him for a single movie. It’s fair to say that a lot of people might feel a certain way about Poulter’s casting for the role of Wade in the movie Joe with Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan since despite the fact that Gary wasn’t as violent or off the
The Cool Story of How Homeless Man Gary Poulter Landed a Movie Role...
The Cool Story of How Homeless Man Gary Poulter Landed a Movie Role...
- 3/29/2021
- by Tom
- TVovermind.com
For a long stretch of the season — arguably going as far back as the 2014 Sundance Film Festival over a year ago — the Best Supporting Actor race has felt like it had a true frontrunner. And with less than a week to go before the Oscars put a bow on everything, that still appears to be the case. And who doesn't want to see J.K. Simmons clutching an Oscar, really? I feel like I've written this sentiment countless times this season, but once more for good measure: he's been an in-the-trenches working actor for years. He's a great guy, he has a great story and — oh yeah — he's amazing in "Whiplash." He makes the movie sing. Without this performance — and with due respect to the talented Damien Chazelle who no matter what would have cranked out a fascinating picture — I'm not so sure it would have been the critical and awards success that it's been.
- 2/17/2015
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
Chicago – Just like every year before it, there were no perfect films in 2014. I do not see this as a negative thing - reaching for greatness is far more electrifying than the plateau of achieving it, as presented in a hustler’s opus like ‘Whiplash,” which specifically eschews applause after a drum solo that just may have been perfection.
It’s all about genuine ambition - that’s the fuel that is going to keep cinematic storytelling arresting as it continues to jump, flip, retread, reboot, restore, subvert, invert, and stumble forward. The best films of 2014 are the ones that have this quality in front of or behind the camera, and sometimes both; the quality of pushing viewers along with them, of making polarizing choices that won’t land well for all, but yearn for something more.
This aspect was found in dollops throughout the film year. Separate highlights include...
It’s all about genuine ambition - that’s the fuel that is going to keep cinematic storytelling arresting as it continues to jump, flip, retread, reboot, restore, subvert, invert, and stumble forward. The best films of 2014 are the ones that have this quality in front of or behind the camera, and sometimes both; the quality of pushing viewers along with them, of making polarizing choices that won’t land well for all, but yearn for something more.
This aspect was found in dollops throughout the film year. Separate highlights include...
- 12/31/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
We're winding down the year-in-review game here at HitFix as 2014 draws to a close. For whatever reason I took a year off of the ballot/superlatives posts, but I'm back with those personal assessments of the best of the year, beginning today with my top picks across the Academy's 24 categories. Check back in tomorrow for a list of winners from this lot, as well as others in a slew of peripheral categories. And of course, feel free to let us know what your Oscar ballot would look like in the comments section below. (Oh, and naturally it goes without saying this post is living in a parallel reality where I'm not confined to a specific branch for nominations and reign supreme over all categories with selections for each.) We'll find out if the Academy agrees with any of this when the 87th annual Oscar nominations are announced on Jan. 15. *** Best...
- 12/30/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
Yeah, the Austin Film Critics Association naturally dug the Austin-set "Boyhood," and yeah, they showed a lot of love for "Nightcrawler." But the single coolest thing they did Wednesday in their awards announcement was single out "Joe" star Gary Poulter, a homeless local non-actor who tragically died after completing work on the David Gordon Green film but who delivered one of the most startling performances of the year. He belongs on any supporting actor ballot, in my humble opinion. Check out the full list of winners below, and as ever: The Circuit. Best Film "Boyhood" Best Director Richard Linklater, "Boyhood" Best Actor Jake Gyllenhaal, "Nightcrawler" Best Actress Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl" Best Supporting Actor J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash" Best Supporting Actress Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood" Best Adapted Screenplay "Gone Girl" Best Original Screenplay "Nightcrawler" Best Cinematography "Birdman" Best Score "Birdman" Best Animated Film "The Lego Movie" Best Foreign Language Film "Force Majeure...
- 12/17/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Adriene Mishler, Brian Mays, Aj Wilson McPhaul, Sue Rock, Heather Kafka, Brenda Isaacs Booth, Anna Niemtschk, Elbert Hill III | Written by Gary Hawkins | Directed by David Gordon Green
The pairing of director David Gordon Green and actor Nicholas Cage is an intriguing one. Green was once an indie darling winning critical praise for films like George Washington, All the Real Girls and Snow Angels. Once big Hollywood got a hold of him many argued he lost his touch as the quality of his films dropped. When films like The Sitter and Your Highness failed critically and financially most figured he was the latest example of wasted potential. Last year he went back to basics with Prince Avalanche and saw some of that praise return. That praise will no doubt continue with his latest film Joe.
Nicolas Cage’s demise has been well documented.
The pairing of director David Gordon Green and actor Nicholas Cage is an intriguing one. Green was once an indie darling winning critical praise for films like George Washington, All the Real Girls and Snow Angels. Once big Hollywood got a hold of him many argued he lost his touch as the quality of his films dropped. When films like The Sitter and Your Highness failed critically and financially most figured he was the latest example of wasted potential. Last year he went back to basics with Prince Avalanche and saw some of that praise return. That praise will no doubt continue with his latest film Joe.
Nicolas Cage’s demise has been well documented.
- 9/30/2014
- by Dan Clark
- Nerdly
I can see the headlines now, 'Nicolas Cage in good film shocker!' It's about time too. Knowing, Season of the Witch, Bangkok Dangerous - the taxman sure has a lot to answer for. I haven't enjoyed a Nicolas Cage movie this much since 2005's Lord of War, though parts of me still have a thing for Drive Angry. That might have more to do with Amber Heard than anything else mind. A gripping mix of friendship, violence and redemption erupts in the contemporary backwoods of the South in Joe, a gritty adaptation of Larry Brown's celebrated novel. Directed by David Gordon Green, who is now forgiven for inflicting Your Highness and The Sitter on the world, returns to his Indie roots for a film that finally gives Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage something to sink his teeth into. Nick stars as hard-living, hot-tempered ex-con Joe Ransom, who is...
- 9/19/2014
- 24framespersecond.net
★★★★☆From the same director who brought us such eclectic offerings as George Washington (2000) and stoner comedy Pineapple Express (2008), David Gordon Green's rural noir Joe (2013) - based on Larry Brown's grit-lit novel - stars Nicolas Cage as Joe Ransom, a man who, in the words of Johnny Cash, "Won't back down". Joe leads a work crew clearing trees so the land can be cultivated, and spends his evenings slumped on his sofa, at local dice games or at the whorehouse. Along the way he befriends Gary (Tye Sheridan, previously seen in The Tree of Life and Jeff Nichols' Mud), a homeless stray who washes up at a derelict house with his sister, mother and abusive father, Wade (Gary Poulter).
- 7/24/2014
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
While David Gordon Green may be more at home in brutal and outrageous comedies such as Pineapple Express, it’s clear that this indie director has no issue with experimenting in his career. After another outing at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, his latest film Joe marks an interesting change in pace with a rejuvenated Nicolas Cage starring in the title role. We chat with the man from Little Rock on working with Cage and more.
Your latest film, Joe, played at the Edinburgh Film Festival as did your first film [George Washington] with both receiving very positive responses. So would you say Eiff has been somewhat of a lucky charm for you?
Yeah, I’ve always had a great experience there. I was trying to get there this year but I wasn’t able to because of my schedule. I remember being at the festival a few years ago when I...
Your latest film, Joe, played at the Edinburgh Film Festival as did your first film [George Washington] with both receiving very positive responses. So would you say Eiff has been somewhat of a lucky charm for you?
Yeah, I’ve always had a great experience there. I was trying to get there this year but I wasn’t able to because of my schedule. I remember being at the festival a few years ago when I...
- 7/22/2014
- by Thomas Alexander
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Director: David Gordon Green; Screenwriter: Gary Hawkins; Starring: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter, Ronnie Gene Blavins, Adriene Mishler, Brian Mays; Running time: 117 mins; Certificate: 15
Every now and then, between schlocky action thrillers, Nicolas Cage applies the brakes and says enough with the deadpan wisecracks, the schizoid twitching and the mad shark-toothed grin; it's time to do something interesting. Playing a guy called Joe mightn't sound like edge-of-your-seat stuff - indeed, the name implies distinct averageness - but it's the way Cage contains all that fiery energy that makes him a riveting presence in this slow-burning drama.
Throughout, there's a powerful feeling that something hot and sticky is about to hit the fan in the small Southern town where Joe works hard and plays hard - deforesting the landscape by day, drinking and getting his rocks off at the local whorehouse by night. Eco-minded New Age types may find it...
Every now and then, between schlocky action thrillers, Nicolas Cage applies the brakes and says enough with the deadpan wisecracks, the schizoid twitching and the mad shark-toothed grin; it's time to do something interesting. Playing a guy called Joe mightn't sound like edge-of-your-seat stuff - indeed, the name implies distinct averageness - but it's the way Cage contains all that fiery energy that makes him a riveting presence in this slow-burning drama.
Throughout, there's a powerful feeling that something hot and sticky is about to hit the fan in the small Southern town where Joe works hard and plays hard - deforesting the landscape by day, drinking and getting his rocks off at the local whorehouse by night. Eco-minded New Age types may find it...
- 7/21/2014
- Digital Spy
Nicolas Cage makes a return to serious form as Joe, a brooding ex-con who throws a lifeline to teenager Gary (Tye Sheridan), the son of an abusive, white-trash alcoholic. Director David Gordon Green revisits the Southern backwaters of his 2004 gem Undertow to paint a grimly compelling picture of a world in which most folks solve their problems with booze, violence or both. Cage impresses as the unpredictable anti-hero, but it's homeless non-actor Gary Poulter who makes the biggest dramatic impact as the boy's irredeemable father.
- 7/18/2014
- Sky Movies
It is that time again as 2014 is already half over. Wow, time flies when you are watching movies. The year being half over brings my annual, “Top 10 Movies of the Year…So Far” list, and without question this is my strongest list by a long shot. One big reason is the increase of great titles that have been released On Demand. Half of my list in fact is made up of films I saw On Demand. Now I am all for supporting your local Art House Theater as much as possible, but certain films don’t make it outside of La and New York so On Demand is a great tool to experience some great Independent movies. I feel like geek culture is far too obsessed with franchises that stick to the same format over and over again. I enjoy franchise movies as well, as you will see on this list,...
- 6/22/2014
- by Dan Clark
- Nerdly
Ever since his Academy Award-winning turn in Raising Arizona, Nicolas Cage has taken on a few decent roles (including in Adaptation. and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans) and lots of bizarre ones (including in meritless pieces of dreck like Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and the upcoming Rage). However, he may be in for a career resurgence thanks to his amazing performance in Joe, which is no doubt one of the best films the actor has ever been associated with. And as the film prepares to hit Blu-Ray and DVD on June 17th, we’re pleased to be able to exclusively share with you a clip from “The Making of Joe” featurette.
In the film, from director David Gordon Green, Cage gives a tour-de-force performance as the titular character, an ex-convict who takes a young boy (Tye Sheridan) under his wing and is eventually faced with a...
In the film, from director David Gordon Green, Cage gives a tour-de-force performance as the titular character, an ex-convict who takes a young boy (Tye Sheridan) under his wing and is eventually faced with a...
- 6/16/2014
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
Nicolas Cage finally gets away from his shouty, cartoony madmen, but it’s hard to shake the sense that this was laboriously constructed around him as a showcase. I’m “biast” (pro): I like Nicolas Cage when he’s taking acting seriously
I’m “biast” (con): I’m hot and cold on David Gordon Green
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Booze and smokes and meanness. It’s what’s for breakfast. And lunch and dinner. This is what the men of Joe live on. And if a lad hangs around those men long enough, he will pick up some life lessons, like how to make hookers think you have money and how to abuse dogs while convincing yourself you love dogs and why the cops have it in for an ex-con and how to have “good” reasons to be violent,...
I’m “biast” (con): I’m hot and cold on David Gordon Green
I have not read the source material
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
Booze and smokes and meanness. It’s what’s for breakfast. And lunch and dinner. This is what the men of Joe live on. And if a lad hangs around those men long enough, he will pick up some life lessons, like how to make hookers think you have money and how to abuse dogs while convincing yourself you love dogs and why the cops have it in for an ex-con and how to have “good” reasons to be violent,...
- 4/22/2014
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Title: Joe Director: David Gordon Green Starring: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Gary Poulter For many directors, the independent film realm, and its more constrictive parameters of budget storytelling, are a thing to leave behind — to graduate from, as part of a move up into the “big leagues.” David Gordon Green, though, even as he has crafted Hollywood studio comedies like “Pineapple Express,” “Your Highness” and “The Sitter,” has kept one foot planted in the indie arena, and more plaintive portraiture. “Joe,” his latest effort, is a tender, lyrical slice of underclass drama, anchored by a magnetic performance from Nicolas Cage, that also exercises a certain kind [ Read More ]
The post Joe Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Joe Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/21/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Adriene Mishler, Brian Mays, Aj Wilson McPhaul, Sue Rock, Heather Kafka, Brenda Isaacs Booth, Anna Niemtschk, Elbert Hill III | Written by Gary Hawkins | Directed by David Gordon Green
The pairing of director David Gordon Green and actor Nicholas Cage is an intriguing one. Green was once an indie darling winning critical praise for films like George Washington, All the Real Girls and Snow Angels. Once big Hollywood got a hold of him many argued he lost his touch as the quality of his films dropped. When films like The Sitter and Your Highness failed critically and financially most figured he was the latest example of wasted potential. Last year he went back to basics with Prince Avalanche and saw some of that praise return. That praise will no doubt continue with his latest film Joe.
Nicolas Cage’s demise has been well documented.
The pairing of director David Gordon Green and actor Nicholas Cage is an intriguing one. Green was once an indie darling winning critical praise for films like George Washington, All the Real Girls and Snow Angels. Once big Hollywood got a hold of him many argued he lost his touch as the quality of his films dropped. When films like The Sitter and Your Highness failed critically and financially most figured he was the latest example of wasted potential. Last year he went back to basics with Prince Avalanche and saw some of that praise return. That praise will no doubt continue with his latest film Joe.
Nicolas Cage’s demise has been well documented.
- 4/20/2014
- by Dan Clark
- Nerdly
Filmmaker David Gordon Green has shot two films in Central Texas now (well, three, but only two are out yet), and he gets it. He really does. For both Prince Avalanche and now Joe, he took stories that could be set anywhere and ground them in local rural settings, with characters played by residents who weren't previously professional actors. The most affecting scene in Prince Avalanche was the one in the ruins with Joyce Payne.
In Joe, I felt like I could drive 30 miles and find the unnamed town in which the film was set, with all its characters intact. In such a setting, the lead actors fit in and feel like characters, not stars. Even Nicolas Cage.
Cage plays the title character, whose job is leading a team of laborers to clear a forest for development -- hacking at trees with axes that contain poisonous liquids. He's approached by...
In Joe, I felt like I could drive 30 miles and find the unnamed town in which the film was set, with all its characters intact. In such a setting, the lead actors fit in and feel like characters, not stars. Even Nicolas Cage.
Cage plays the title character, whose job is leading a team of laborers to clear a forest for development -- hacking at trees with axes that contain poisonous liquids. He's approached by...
- 4/14/2014
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
Joe
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Gary Poulter
Running Time: 1 hr 58 mins
Rating: R
Release Date: April 11, 2014
Plot: An ex-con-turned-day-laborer-boss (Cage) takes a homeless boy (Sheridan) under his wing.
Who’S It For? Those ready for something completely different (and great) from Cage, and director David Gordon Green.
Overall
As the movie’s spirit animal, Nicolas Cage keeps the primal film charged and unpredictable. This is a performance narrowed in on his potential, unhinged and huge all at once, but marking the return of taking his drama seriously. Unmistakably, he continues to be proud of the maniac he has always been, but plays this character with a grand sense of authority.
Cage appears opposite a group of supporting men who are vivid in their raw qualities. The young Tye Sheridan, after having expressed age in films from Terrence Malick and Jeff Nichols,...
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Gary Poulter
Running Time: 1 hr 58 mins
Rating: R
Release Date: April 11, 2014
Plot: An ex-con-turned-day-laborer-boss (Cage) takes a homeless boy (Sheridan) under his wing.
Who’S It For? Those ready for something completely different (and great) from Cage, and director David Gordon Green.
Overall
As the movie’s spirit animal, Nicolas Cage keeps the primal film charged and unpredictable. This is a performance narrowed in on his potential, unhinged and huge all at once, but marking the return of taking his drama seriously. Unmistakably, he continues to be proud of the maniac he has always been, but plays this character with a grand sense of authority.
Cage appears opposite a group of supporting men who are vivid in their raw qualities. The young Tye Sheridan, after having expressed age in films from Terrence Malick and Jeff Nichols,...
- 4/13/2014
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
Chicago – This week in movies about men we have “Joe”, a wild drama about Texas males at their most primal. It is the newest film from director David Gordon Green, and features Nicolas Cage in some of his finest work.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
The film’s leading man is the title character played by Cage, a boss to a group of day laborers, and man with his own troubled past of fighting (against local lunatic Willie-Russell, played by Ronnie Gene Blevins). When working on the job with his men, Joe encounters a young man named Gary (Tye Sheridan), who lives in a condemned house with his alcoholic father Wade (Gary Poulter) and his mother and sister. Under Joe’s wisdom, Gary tries to understand the notion of honest living, while Wade abandons the family in search of food and alcohol. The two men take their own paths, leading to a climax that...
Rating: 4.0/5.0
The film’s leading man is the title character played by Cage, a boss to a group of day laborers, and man with his own troubled past of fighting (against local lunatic Willie-Russell, played by Ronnie Gene Blevins). When working on the job with his men, Joe encounters a young man named Gary (Tye Sheridan), who lives in a condemned house with his alcoholic father Wade (Gary Poulter) and his mother and sister. Under Joe’s wisdom, Gary tries to understand the notion of honest living, while Wade abandons the family in search of food and alcohol. The two men take their own paths, leading to a climax that...
- 4/12/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Kevin Costner makes a solid football movie with Draft Day, but it's Nicolas Cage who steals the show with his comeback role in Joe. Here's a list of what to see and skip this weekend at the movies. See ThisJoe var brightcovevideoid = '3457058788001'; It's always nice to discover that you've been rooting for someone. Here, in fact, is the Nicolas Cage comeback I didn't know I wanted - and gosh, does it feel good to write that. Cage summons a rangy, soulful performance to play Joe, an ex-con trying to stay straight with the law. (Well, as straight as...
- 4/11/2014
- by Alynda Wheat, PEOPLE Movie Critic
- PEOPLE.com
David Gordon Green's Joe mines backwoods, hick territory, finding a slight narrative kinship with Jeff Nichols' Mud combined with the tonal darkness of Winter's Bone. The strongest thread holding the three films together is obviously the focus on down-on-their-luck families with bad dental hygiene, drinking problems and poor living conditions, all of which are traits I typically loathe. Narrative's of this sort typically prey on the built in sadness that comes with seeing hard luck families scraping to survive rather than developing actual characters, but every so often a few rise above the rest. In this case Joe works and it doesn't. The tragic narrative has its hiccups along the way, but improves as it builds its story around two strong performances from Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan, elevating it slightly above similar exploitative white trash weepers. The exact location is unknown, but the film takes place in...
- 4/11/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Chicago – When traveling on a Nicolas Cage trip, it’s best to buckle up. Director David Gordon Green collaborated with Cage on the new film, “Joe,” and actor Tye Sheridan (“Tree of Life,” “Mud”) was Cage’s teenage co-star. Cage portrays the title character, a reformed hellraiser who can’t help but have sympathy for a lost soul.
Sheridan portrays Gary, a itinerant teen whose family life is pretty much destroyed. His father Wade (Gary Poulter) is an unapologetic drunk, and Gary turns to Joe to both get some employment and some guidance. The result from David Gordon Green (“George Washington,” “Snow Angels”) is a gritty story of accidental mentorship, contained in a simmering context that only Nicolas Cage can generate.
Tye Sheridan and Nicolas Cage in David Gordon Green’s ‘Joe’
Photo credit: Roseside Attractions
Both Green and Tye Sheridan came to Chicago for a press tour, and talked...
Sheridan portrays Gary, a itinerant teen whose family life is pretty much destroyed. His father Wade (Gary Poulter) is an unapologetic drunk, and Gary turns to Joe to both get some employment and some guidance. The result from David Gordon Green (“George Washington,” “Snow Angels”) is a gritty story of accidental mentorship, contained in a simmering context that only Nicolas Cage can generate.
Tye Sheridan and Nicolas Cage in David Gordon Green’s ‘Joe’
Photo credit: Roseside Attractions
Both Green and Tye Sheridan came to Chicago for a press tour, and talked...
- 4/11/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
This story of a surly ex-con whose encounter with an almost-teenage version of himself is a return to more modest roots for men in front of and behind the camera in this new release. The star of Joe (in case you’re wondering, this is not a remake of the 1970 urban revenge thriller that starred Peter Boyle as the title character) is Nicolas Cage, who has often become an internet punchline (“Is he a vampire?” and endless “maniac, freak-out” montages) recently. After establishing himself as an off-beat character actor through the 1980′s , he won an Oscar as a boozing writer on a march toward death in Leaving Las Vegas. This lead to a series of big-budget action films with only an occasional foray into the unusual (Adaptation, Matchstick Men). He even entered the Marvel movie universe, starring in two Ghost Rider flicks. But with this new role, he’s squarely...
- 4/10/2014
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Seventeen-year-old Tye Sheridan made his acting debut in Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life,” playing one of Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain’s sons in 1950s Texas. The next year, he co-starred opposite Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon in Jeff Nichols’ “Mud.” Now, in David Gordon Green’s “Joe,” adapted from a novel by Larry Brown, Sheridan adds another acting heavyweight to his roster of co-stars, starring opposite Nicolas Cage’s title character as Gary Jones, an eager-to-work kid looking for roots not provided by his itinerant family and alcoholic father (Gary Poulter). For ShockYa, Brent Simon recently had a chance to speak to Texas native Sheridan one-on-one, about his movie, the key [ Read More ]
The post Exclusive: Tye Sheridan Talks Joe, Terrence Malick Impressions and Tony Romo appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Exclusive: Tye Sheridan Talks Joe, Terrence Malick Impressions and Tony Romo appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 4/10/2014
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Occasionally, when eclectic director David Gordon Green is not working on a studio film, which severely limits his creative input, he turns to middle-of-nowhere America to tell stories about regular Joes -no pun intended- and their singular experiences (Undertow, George Washington, Snow Angels). Visually, he is inclined to take advantage of the vast landscapes and wooded areas the countryside has to offer. There, he places characters that more often than not include young men searching for a role model and the older fellows who either provide guidance or become terrible influences. Most recently, Emile Hirsch's manchild behavior clashed with Paul Rudd's self-absorbed comedic masculinity in Prince Avalanche, a charming and minimalist tale of two men working in the forest.
In his latest work, Joe, this recurring premise takes on greater stylistic proportions and it allows the director to elicit top-notch performances from his two leads. Better than he has been in many years, Nicolas Cage plays the eponymous title role, a rugged anti-hero who will not brag about all the good he does in spite of his violent past. Joe runs a small operation that involves spraying a chemical solution to eradicate unwanted trees in the area. His team, conformed only of African American men, is loyal to the core. They know Joe is a man of his word and values honesty above all else. In this Southern town, it is also well known that, though he doesn’t look for it, Joe is not afraid of getting in trouble should the situation call for it.
Wandering around the broken down road, Gary (Tye Sheridan), a 15-year-old tough boy, soon runs across Joe and his men and immediately asks for a job. Perhaps seeing himself in the boy, or perhaps out of pity, Joe agrees. The kid is a hard worker; he is willing to struggle to earn his pay. The problem is his abusive alcoholic father Wade (Gary Poulter), a selfish parasite whose single priority in life is figure out the source of his next swig. After purposelessly giving the old man a chance and witnessing the vicious treatment the boy must endure, Joe takes him under his wing. Gary looks up to him, and quickly finds a reinvigorating hope simpley from having someone who sincerely cares for him. The generational gap between the two creates a compelling connection, not quiet a father/son dynamic, but a heartfelt friendship.
An alcoholic himself, Joe has issues of his own, which range from selflessly helping everyone around him, to keeping his dog from attacking visitors, and dealing with Willie (Ronnie Gene Blevins), an annoying maniac who has a pending feud with him. Joe’s no-nonsense convictions are undeniably virtuous, but sometimes such degree of righteousness can prove to be a dangerous liability. Cage undoubtedly deserves praise for playing such a silent character with unpretentious honesty.
Drinking beer, smoking cigarets, and beating up cops who, according to him, unjustifiably harass him is what Joe does, but there is kindness underneath the rough skin, and the Hollywood star brings it all out convincingly. This is definitely a redeeming work for an actor who seemed to have lost his way in a senseless pursuit of meaningless roles.
Opposite Cage is the young Tye Sheridan, whose similar role in last year’s Mud placed him under the independent film industry's spotlight. The young actor is even more marvelous here. Seeing the darkness in people from an early age has definitely shaped Gary’s life. Self-sufficient, driven, and brave, he wants nothing more than to have a chance at becoming a good man, and his only shot at it is by Joe’s side. Adding another great performance to his short, but impressive resume, Sheridan is on his way to becoming an important young figure in the medium.
Adapted for the screen by Gary Hawkins from the novel of the same name by Larry Brown, Gordon Green certainly wasn’t able to reinvent the genre or craft a story that shines for its uniqueness, but he is in top form here. At times gritty, others ironically funny, the film works on all levels and even gives the filmmaker a chance to experiment with interesting narrative devices, such as several music and voice over driven expressionist montages.
Yet, if one looks to single out the best quality of this outstandingly entertaining film, it would have to be the naturalistic acting the filmmaker managed to get out of every single person on screen. From the shopkeeper, to Joe’s workers, to the evil Poulter, who is a real life homeless man, and all of the locals, there is not one that feels fabricated. That alone elevates a familiar story to something incredibly memorable. A rebirth for both actor and director, Joe is a powerful slice of Americana painted with sophisticated brush, and it shows that, like Joe himself, Cage and Gordon Green’s talent is a fierce dog with many scars, but at least it’s still alive.
Joe Opens in Select Theaters, VOD and on iTunes Friday, April 11...
In his latest work, Joe, this recurring premise takes on greater stylistic proportions and it allows the director to elicit top-notch performances from his two leads. Better than he has been in many years, Nicolas Cage plays the eponymous title role, a rugged anti-hero who will not brag about all the good he does in spite of his violent past. Joe runs a small operation that involves spraying a chemical solution to eradicate unwanted trees in the area. His team, conformed only of African American men, is loyal to the core. They know Joe is a man of his word and values honesty above all else. In this Southern town, it is also well known that, though he doesn’t look for it, Joe is not afraid of getting in trouble should the situation call for it.
Wandering around the broken down road, Gary (Tye Sheridan), a 15-year-old tough boy, soon runs across Joe and his men and immediately asks for a job. Perhaps seeing himself in the boy, or perhaps out of pity, Joe agrees. The kid is a hard worker; he is willing to struggle to earn his pay. The problem is his abusive alcoholic father Wade (Gary Poulter), a selfish parasite whose single priority in life is figure out the source of his next swig. After purposelessly giving the old man a chance and witnessing the vicious treatment the boy must endure, Joe takes him under his wing. Gary looks up to him, and quickly finds a reinvigorating hope simpley from having someone who sincerely cares for him. The generational gap between the two creates a compelling connection, not quiet a father/son dynamic, but a heartfelt friendship.
An alcoholic himself, Joe has issues of his own, which range from selflessly helping everyone around him, to keeping his dog from attacking visitors, and dealing with Willie (Ronnie Gene Blevins), an annoying maniac who has a pending feud with him. Joe’s no-nonsense convictions are undeniably virtuous, but sometimes such degree of righteousness can prove to be a dangerous liability. Cage undoubtedly deserves praise for playing such a silent character with unpretentious honesty.
Drinking beer, smoking cigarets, and beating up cops who, according to him, unjustifiably harass him is what Joe does, but there is kindness underneath the rough skin, and the Hollywood star brings it all out convincingly. This is definitely a redeeming work for an actor who seemed to have lost his way in a senseless pursuit of meaningless roles.
Opposite Cage is the young Tye Sheridan, whose similar role in last year’s Mud placed him under the independent film industry's spotlight. The young actor is even more marvelous here. Seeing the darkness in people from an early age has definitely shaped Gary’s life. Self-sufficient, driven, and brave, he wants nothing more than to have a chance at becoming a good man, and his only shot at it is by Joe’s side. Adding another great performance to his short, but impressive resume, Sheridan is on his way to becoming an important young figure in the medium.
Adapted for the screen by Gary Hawkins from the novel of the same name by Larry Brown, Gordon Green certainly wasn’t able to reinvent the genre or craft a story that shines for its uniqueness, but he is in top form here. At times gritty, others ironically funny, the film works on all levels and even gives the filmmaker a chance to experiment with interesting narrative devices, such as several music and voice over driven expressionist montages.
Yet, if one looks to single out the best quality of this outstandingly entertaining film, it would have to be the naturalistic acting the filmmaker managed to get out of every single person on screen. From the shopkeeper, to Joe’s workers, to the evil Poulter, who is a real life homeless man, and all of the locals, there is not one that feels fabricated. That alone elevates a familiar story to something incredibly memorable. A rebirth for both actor and director, Joe is a powerful slice of Americana painted with sophisticated brush, and it shows that, like Joe himself, Cage and Gordon Green’s talent is a fierce dog with many scars, but at least it’s still alive.
Joe Opens in Select Theaters, VOD and on iTunes Friday, April 11...
- 4/10/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
The genre-defying film “Joe” presents an unexpected yet engaging blend in its two central collaborators, director David Gordon Green and actor Nicolas Cage. Achieving a stunning handle on tone and naturalism from Green, it also breaks from what Cage calls “Western Kabuki” acting towards a more rugged, internal performance. The approach uniquely fits its premise: based on the novel by Larry Brown, the film follows Joe Ransom, a Deep South ex-con who attempts to help a drifter boy Gary (Tye Sheridan) escape the abuse of his alcoholic father (a fantastic Gary Poulter). In our Venice review we called it “a muscular and textured piece of work,” and that depth likely has to do with Green’s level of familiarity with the material. While studying at North Carolina School of the Arts, the “Prince Avalanche” director worked on a 2002 documentary about the Southern author Brown. Alongside “Mud” helmer Jeff Nichols, the crew included Dp Tim Orr,...
- 4/9/2014
- by Charlie Schmidlin
- The Playlist
David Gordon Green's new film "Joe" has been gaining steam since first premiering on the festival circuit last year -- namely for featuring Nicolas Cage's best performance in ages. And while yes, Cage is indeed awesome in the titular role, his co-stars in the film are equally as strong. As it turns out, most of them weren't actors before making "Joe." Read More: Why 'Joe' is a Comeback for Nicolas Cage and David Gordon Green In this exclusive featurette for the Roadside Attractions release that comes out in theaters and On Demand this Friday, Green explains why he cast non-actors in major supporting roles alongside Cage and in-demand newcomer Tye Sheridan ("The Tree of Life," "Mud"). Cage also weighs in on what it was like to work opposite real-life folk such as Gary Poulter, a homeless street performer Green discovered on the streets of Austin. Sadly, Poulter passed...
- 4/9/2014
- by Nigel M Smith
- Indiewire
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