MIFF NOTES: Joe (2013, Dir. David Gordon Green)

Big man with violent past is at pains to keep his big man violence in check. Big man has a heart of gold and wants to help little man with his own big man problems, while helping the black man with a livelihood. Women are whores.

Nicholas Cage is the big man.

Tye Sheridan is the little man.

Whores don't matter.

David Gordon Green's Prince Avalanche follow up, Joe, is a whole lot of been there, done that, didn't need to see it all again, rolled together in a well shot, well acted, unfulfilling package. Cage and Sheridan both deliver solid moments but they are not much more than tropes on legs and Green seems more intent on serving up Mississippi hillbilly voyeurism than getting to the guts of their characters.

Joe feels clumped together with little regard for overall tone. Its shifts jar. Green reaches for heartfelt (but still manly) moments but it is only when you're in the middle of them that you realise that he was actually serious in taking his film there. He could at least have buttered us up with a few more dog fights before going the full father/son glassy-eye-fest.

★★★

Trailer:

Disclaimer: Due to excessive work and excessive film going, MIFF posts are going to be pretty sketchy this year. I'll come back to some of the better ones and write them up proper-like if the mood takes.