On DVD and Blu Ray - "Joe" (2014) - Nicolas Cage plays the titular hard-livin' and hot-tempered ex-con who finds himself the unlikely role model of a 15-year-old boy (Tye Sheridan) desperate to escape the wages of poverty and his abusive, alcoholic father (Gary Poulter). A greasy, scarred scoundrel (Ronnie Gene Blevins) toting around a personal vendetta against "Joe" slithers in and out of the mix, setting the course towards a climactic confrontation between three violent men and the impressionable teen caught in the middle.
Based on Larry Brown's novel of the same title, Joe is a tragic tale of redemption set amidst the poor, Southern, backwoods dregs that is crafted with honesty and grit, finding Cage remarkably focused and restrained- it's his best performance in many a moon and should act as a legitimate reminder that, despite the poor decisions and veins of weirdness, he's still extremely talented and very much in his prime as a leading male actor. An impromptu sequence where Cage's character handles a cottonmouth that wandered into frame, coupled with one brief moment of flashing a crazy face at the audience, let's his fans know that the charismatic wild man is still in there.
Cage's Joe is a restless, though well-meaning sort aiming to overcome his criminal past and steer-clear of the trouble that seems destined to seek him out- the simmering rage just beneath the surface, coupled with a local cop and a wily thug still seething over past encounters, threatens to consume him at every turn. Cheap hookers, cigarettes and booze seem to soothe the savage beast- just how bad could any dog lover truly be?
Tye Sheridan (Mud) once again shines as "Gary"; the impressionable, good-natured teen who takes a job with Joe and his salty, clandestine crew of tree poisoners. With his hateful drunk of a father, "Wade", constantly shuffling his impoverished family about and siphoning them of funds, the young man dreams of a better life for his mother and younger sister. Joe soon takes a shine to the young laborer, while Gary sees his edgy boss as the father figure he never had. Caught in the awkward, early stages of manhood, Gary soon finds that the confrontations between him and the resentful Wade threatens to render his situation hopeless- that is, until Joe takes notice.
Most will remember the grizzled and toothless Poulter here- the homeless man, a non-actor, was plucked from the streets by Director David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Prince Avalanche) for the role. His performance is somehow a perfect balance of raw and searing- a scene displaying the lengths to which he would go to procure a box of wine from another homeless man will stick with me for a while.
Ronnie Gene Blevins (Seven Psychopaths) portrays "Willie-Russell", the yellow-toothed hoodlum with a shattered face that believes he's impervious to death's designs. Seeking to settle some unseen score with Joe, his ultimate send-off had me laughing out loud.
A host of other well-placed and excellently utilized non-actors adds to the film's overall authenticity quite nicely- the banter between the members of Joe's tree poisoning crew reminded me of my days as a construction worker and the constant shit-flinging between my cohorts and I.
David Gordon Green keeps the narrative moving at a deliberate but sure-handed pace- the film is rich in atmosphere, permeating the frame with palpable tension and that undeniable sense of impending doom. Potential audiences can expect a few moments of ethereal strangeness and shocking violence strewn amongst the quiet introspection. The film's soundtrack is hauntingly scored by Jeff MacIlwain and David Wingo, while the cinematography, featuring the Austin, Texas countryside as a backdrop, is wonderfully textured.
Cage may very well follow this Southern Gothic gem up with a string of DTV turkeys, though he commands the screen here in what will definitely end up near the very top of my year-end Best Films of 2014 list.
Highly Recommended
9.0 out of 10
Director: David Gordon Green
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter, Ronnie Gene Blevins and Adriene Mishler
Run-Time: 117 minutes
MPAA: Rated R for violence, disturbing material, language and some strong sexual content
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