There is probably no actor today as unique or vibrantly energetic in his performances as Nicolas Cage. I have claimed before that Cage is perhaps the greatest actor with the worst resume in cinema history. But even though he's got a backlog of rather unsavory films, Cage has never failed to go for broke, ripping into each and every role with great gusto. However, the heir apparent to Christopher Walken has been lambasted as a washed-up actor these last ten years, with most people seemingly overlooking the fact that Cage has given some standout turns since his heyday (his 2009 turn in "The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" should have netted him an Oscar nod, for instance).
His latest outing pairs him with another once-promising figure: David Gordon Green, who after a handful of thrilling debut films seemed to go off the deep end, following riveting films like "George Washington" and the underrated "Undertow" with the execrable "comedies" "Your Highness" and "The Sitter". However, Green seems to be returning to his roots with "Joe", an adaptation of Larry Brown's down-and-dirty Southern Gothic tale of a hard-luck ex-con who crosses paths with a teenager with a bad home life. Cage plays against Tye Sheridan, the stoic youth who starred in "Mud" last year, and if anyone thinks that his casting makes this film a carbon-copy of Jeff Nichols's homage to Mark Twain, "Joe" will shatter your notions before too long. It's got a much bleaker edge to it.
Cage plays Joe Ransom, a backwoods wreck of a man who runs a gabby gang of laborers who semi-illicitly poison trees for a lumber company. He's a raw, taciturn sort, driving through his rural community in a beaten-down truck stuffed with his employees while chain-smoking and seemingly drowning out the chatter of his buddies. Cage, who is known for being an explosive presence in his films, keeps the lid pretty tight on the pot here, yet there are moments when he lets the steam sing out. It's clear Joe's temper has gotten him in hot water in the past, as seen when a past victim (Ronnie Gene Blevins) takes a shot at him only fifteen minutes into the film. Joe's got his demons, for sure.
So too does fifteen-year-old Gary Jones (Sheridan), who drifts into town with his silent sister, laconic mother, and a true example of the tragedy of the Deep South in the form of his father, Wade. Played by Gary Poulter, Wade is a strutter, a wannabe tough guy held together by drink but who can't even hold down a job for a day, and he takes out his boozed-up rage on his family. Wanting to provide for his family as well as try and get his old man back off the skids, Gary approaches Joe for a job. The boy proves his worth as a hard worker, eventually drawing him closer to Joe himself, who takes pity on the kid's home life. But the closer the two get, the more things start to get complicated. Joe's rage is starting to cycle back up, and Wade's bitterness is fueling his own violent tendencies that start to show in his own son at times.
What David Gordon Green strives for with "Joe" is a sense of pervading realism, and so he populated his film with first-time local talent rather than seeking Hollywood professionals. Almost every single speaking part save for Cage and Sheridan comes from people that lived in and around the area they shot the film. In particular, Gary Poulter was a homeless drifter with a checkered past who crossed paths with Green. Poulter brings a pathetic, harrowing realism to the part; he's lived this life and he seemed like a man who knew little else. Even when Wade lets his fists fly, you can't help but feel pity for the gnarled old bastard, because Poulter brought an almost beautiful complexity to the role. Poulter died soon after completing filming, having drowned due to alcohol poisoning; the tragedy of his life colors another facet in the character that enriches his performance.
Cage and Sheridan themselves are no slouches in this film, either. Sheridan is proving to be quite the young talent, and I wouldn't hesitate in calling him one of the best actors in his age group. He holds his own against Cage, and the two play off of each other marvelously, perhaps even more effortlessly than Sheridan did against Matthew McConaughey. He'll do great things in the coming years for sure. And Cage proves here that one should never underestimate him; his volatility and effortless charm make Joe a compulsively engaging protagonist while at the same time emphasizing that he is not the man he could be, should be.
Early in the film's runtime, Joe's hatchet crew stumbles upon a copperhead. That snake is just like the picture itself: sleek and dangerous, with a poisonous bite that could spell fever into an unwary film-goer. David Gordon Green certainly captured Larry Brown's whiskey-soaked novel with great skill; if he could get around to tackling the novel's even better sequel, "Fay", that'd be even better.
His latest outing pairs him with another once-promising figure: David Gordon Green, who after a handful of thrilling debut films seemed to go off the deep end, following riveting films like "George Washington" and the underrated "Undertow" with the execrable "comedies" "Your Highness" and "The Sitter". However, Green seems to be returning to his roots with "Joe", an adaptation of Larry Brown's down-and-dirty Southern Gothic tale of a hard-luck ex-con who crosses paths with a teenager with a bad home life. Cage plays against Tye Sheridan, the stoic youth who starred in "Mud" last year, and if anyone thinks that his casting makes this film a carbon-copy of Jeff Nichols's homage to Mark Twain, "Joe" will shatter your notions before too long. It's got a much bleaker edge to it.
Cage plays Joe Ransom, a backwoods wreck of a man who runs a gabby gang of laborers who semi-illicitly poison trees for a lumber company. He's a raw, taciturn sort, driving through his rural community in a beaten-down truck stuffed with his employees while chain-smoking and seemingly drowning out the chatter of his buddies. Cage, who is known for being an explosive presence in his films, keeps the lid pretty tight on the pot here, yet there are moments when he lets the steam sing out. It's clear Joe's temper has gotten him in hot water in the past, as seen when a past victim (Ronnie Gene Blevins) takes a shot at him only fifteen minutes into the film. Joe's got his demons, for sure.
So too does fifteen-year-old Gary Jones (Sheridan), who drifts into town with his silent sister, laconic mother, and a true example of the tragedy of the Deep South in the form of his father, Wade. Played by Gary Poulter, Wade is a strutter, a wannabe tough guy held together by drink but who can't even hold down a job for a day, and he takes out his boozed-up rage on his family. Wanting to provide for his family as well as try and get his old man back off the skids, Gary approaches Joe for a job. The boy proves his worth as a hard worker, eventually drawing him closer to Joe himself, who takes pity on the kid's home life. But the closer the two get, the more things start to get complicated. Joe's rage is starting to cycle back up, and Wade's bitterness is fueling his own violent tendencies that start to show in his own son at times.
What David Gordon Green strives for with "Joe" is a sense of pervading realism, and so he populated his film with first-time local talent rather than seeking Hollywood professionals. Almost every single speaking part save for Cage and Sheridan comes from people that lived in and around the area they shot the film. In particular, Gary Poulter was a homeless drifter with a checkered past who crossed paths with Green. Poulter brings a pathetic, harrowing realism to the part; he's lived this life and he seemed like a man who knew little else. Even when Wade lets his fists fly, you can't help but feel pity for the gnarled old bastard, because Poulter brought an almost beautiful complexity to the role. Poulter died soon after completing filming, having drowned due to alcohol poisoning; the tragedy of his life colors another facet in the character that enriches his performance.
Cage and Sheridan themselves are no slouches in this film, either. Sheridan is proving to be quite the young talent, and I wouldn't hesitate in calling him one of the best actors in his age group. He holds his own against Cage, and the two play off of each other marvelously, perhaps even more effortlessly than Sheridan did against Matthew McConaughey. He'll do great things in the coming years for sure. And Cage proves here that one should never underestimate him; his volatility and effortless charm make Joe a compulsively engaging protagonist while at the same time emphasizing that he is not the man he could be, should be.
Early in the film's runtime, Joe's hatchet crew stumbles upon a copperhead. That snake is just like the picture itself: sleek and dangerous, with a poisonous bite that could spell fever into an unwary film-goer. David Gordon Green certainly captured Larry Brown's whiskey-soaked novel with great skill; if he could get around to tackling the novel's even better sequel, "Fay", that'd be even better.