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Joe Somebody | Year: 2001 Classification: Comedy Directed: - John Pasquin Actors/Actresses: - Tim Allen as Joe Scheffer - James Belushi - Kelly Lynch Somebody. Joe Somebody. I think Tim Allen is a great actor, though I'm not too fond of the roles he typically plays. This one is different, though. Allen plays Joe Scheffer, a recently divorced corporate wallflower who gets beat up in front of his daughter. He feels obligated to avenge himself, and enter the has-been Kung-Fu master, played by Jim Belushi. As Joe trains for a rematch with the bully he becomes the most popular guy at the office. Jim Belushi is always good for a laugh, and he and Allen together are great. The romance in this movie is nothing spectacular, but it is good. So why only three stars? Well, like I said, this movie is funny. Still, it's not THAT funny. It's really nothing monumental, just plain old-fashioned entertainment that's appropriate for the whole family. I definitely recommend seeing Joe Somebody. I wouldn't normally do this kind of thing. I've only reviewed one movie before, and I should confess that I'm probably too snobby when it comes to a lot of things not the least of which are these reviews--take my opinions with a grain of salt. Consequently, it's duly ironic that I've chosen to expound upon a movie such as "Joe Somebody" (certainly this is no "Empire of the Sun" or "Rushmore"). This being said, "Joe Somebody" is nothing short of a celluloid miracle; the film equivalent of feeding thousands from a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish. For me, this movie caught my unsuspecting attention similarly to the way "Stuck On You" did. That is, in spite of all the expected elements, there were those distinct traces of sincere vulnerability (note the car ride with Joe and his daughter immediately following the parking lot showdown, or Joe's muted reaction to his ex-wife's apparent new-found satisfaction with another man). These moments are painfully authentic and they made me invest more of myself in this dorky little feature than I anticipated. There is substance to "Joe Somebody." For example, the characters are incredibly believable: who knew Tim Allen was a real person?! Julie Bowen, as the steadfast voice of reason in the back of Joe's insatiable mind, is adorable and comforting. The plot features antagonism in twofold: the immediate threat is Patrick Warburton's formiddable bully, while more-than-adequate foreshadowing points to the greasy and deceptive Jeremy (played by Greg Germann) as the bigger enemy here. Simply put, it's a story of contentment (if only a struggling contentment) disrupted by uncontrollable circumstances, and the fruitless dissatisfaction that comes with the pursuit of revenge. In the end, of course, everyone learns a valuable life lesson which leads to my one qualm with the execution of the denouement: the conclusion is wrapped up way too succinctly and with far too great a success rate to be remotely believable. Even some of the unlovable and/or forlorn characters are redeemed during the last 90 seconds of the movie, by means of convenient little devices (such as the school play in which Jim Belushi and the pompous boyfriend actor have happily accepted small roles and apparently are better off for having done so). I have to remind myself, however, that this is not an epic film, and that I should just engage a little willful suspension of disbelief. It's usually better that way. nice family movie...very enjoyable Joe Somebody is a pretty good family movie. movie is about an average Joe played by Tim Allen who gets zero respect from his peers and work buddies. after 10 years with the same company, he wasn't given the promotion he wanted, and after getting beaten up and embarassed in front of his daughter and co-workers, he decides to take a stand, and get back what he lost in the parking lot. i LOVE Belushi's character, Chuck Scarett. he's a former actor who had one good movie, and then his career tanked. he now teaches karate, and as he says, 90 percent of his business comes from people who got their butts kicked. i love the interaction between the Allen and Belushi character. overall, solid and very enjoyable movie about your average Joe who wants to be somebody. also includes some special features with a HILARIOUS deleted scene from Belushi's character. good movie. good father's day present. Buy Joe Somebody at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Joe Somebody Search with the Priority Search Engine on Joe Somebody This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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