Joe (2013)

An ex-con, who is the unlikeliest of role models, meets a 15-year-old boy and is faced with the choice of redemption or ruin.

Director:

David Gordon Green

Writers:

Gary Hawkins, Larry Brown (based on the novel by)

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter

4 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicolas Cage	...	Joe
Tye Sheridan	...	Gary
Gary Poulter	...	Wade a.k.a. G-Daawg
Ronnie Gene Blevins	...	Willie-Russell
Adriene Mishler	...	Connie
Brian Mays	...	Junior (as Brian D. Mays)
Aj Wilson McPhaul	...	Earl (as A.J. Wilson McPhaul)
Sue Rock	...	Merle
Heather Kafka	...	Lacy
Brenda Isaacs Booth	...	Mother (as Brenda Isaacs-Booth)
Anna Niemtschk	...	Dorothy
Elbert Hill III	...	Shorty (as Elbert Evan Hill III)
Milton Fountain	...	Milton
Roderick L. Polk	...	Roscoe
Aaron Spivey-Sorrells	...	Sammy

Storyline

In order to provide for his destitute family of drifters, a likable, sincere, able-bodied 15-year-old boy comes to hire on among a burned-out ex-con's group of aging forest laborers. As the man becomes more and more aware of the boy's abusive home life, his deeply buried humanity is roused. Drinking and smoking incessantly to remain detached from his volatile temper, he finally takes the matter into his own hands - come what may - when the boy's alcoholic father finally goes too far.

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Plot Keywords:

alcoholic | cigarette smoking | woods | father son relationship | teenage boy | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, disturbing material, language and some strong sexual content

Did You Know?

Trivia

David Gordon Green often casts locals in his movies. Gary Poulter was a homeless man in Austin. Poulter died on the streets of Austin on Feb. 19, 2013, 2 months after filming ended.

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Goofs

When Gary takes off his vest by Joe's truck, his shirt pulls up and a microphone cable is visible going into his waistband.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Gary: Hey, you old man, you look at me. I got som'in' to say to you. Every time we land someplace new, you say it's gonna be different, but it ain't. You mess up... a lot... then you leave a mess for me and Momma and Dorothy to clean up, and that ain't right. That's all I'm sayin'. Hell, I do what I gotta do. You do whatever the hell you want - whatever you can get away with. You're just a... selfish old drunk. Yeah, that's what you is. Yeah, this place is gonna be after us. Hell, ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Sandra Bullock/Rod Stewart (2015)

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Soundtracks

You Knew Joe?
Written by Chris Hrasky, Michael James, Munaf Rayani and Mark T. Smith (as Mark Smith)
Performed by Explosions in the Sky

User Reviews

Redemption of a Good Man

In the South of the USA, the foreman Joe (Nicolas Cage) works with his black crew poisoning trees for the farmers to clean the field. Joe has a trauma, since he spent almost three years in prison for assaulting an abusive police officer. As the result, he has troubles with the police and he is emotionally detached from people. He spends most of his time drinking and smoking to control his nerves or with a whore and his dog. When the strong fifteen year-old Gary (Tye Sheridan) looks for a job with Joe, he notes that the teenager is a hard-worker and befriends him. But he also realizes that his abusive alcoholic father G-Daawg (Gary Poulter) is a scumbag. When G-Daawg associates to the also scum Willie-Russell (Ronnie Gene Blevins), he crosses a line with no point of return and Joe decides to protect Gary and his family.

"Joe" is a low-budget movie with magnificent performance of the uneven Nicolas Cage in his best role in the last films. The dramatic and realistic story of redemption of a good man is crude and never corny. The excellent direction and performances and the original screenplay keep the attention of the viewer until the very last scene. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Joe"

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 April 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Joe

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$105,881, 13 April 2014

Gross USA:

$373,375

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,431,443

Company Credits

Production Co:

Worldview Entertainment, Dreambridge Films, Muskat Filmed Properties

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1