The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Joe Somebody (2001): Dir: John Pasquin / Cast: Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, James Belushi, Patrick Warburton, Hayden Panettiere: Many viewers may relate to Joe's situation. It addresses the importance of people as individuals. Tim Allen stars as an advertising executive who takes his daughter to work with him only to discover that the company bully took his parking space. When he confronts the issue he is assaulted right in front of his daughter and co-workers. The bully is suspended but Allen is unable to face work again. His boss fears a lawsuit so he assigns Julie Bowen to bring him back. She wishes to get out of her job and become a guidance counselor. He decides to meet the bully again and is trained by a former stunt person. Setup works but it never avoids formula and its ending is too obvious. Third collaboration between director John Pasquin and Allen who previously made the inventive The Santa Clause and the inexcusable Jungle 2 Jungle. Allen holds his own right up until the predictable outcome. Bowen is flat as a potential romantic prop. James Belushi as the stunt person had potential but needs better material than this. Patrick Warburton plays the ever familiar low IQ office bully. Hayden Panettiere plays Joe's daughter and the role is predictable drivel. Strong theme of self worth and violence. Too bad the screenwriter didn't train as hard as Joe. Score: 4 ½ / 10

Joe Somebody is one of those movies where we're supposed to believe it's a movie for kids based on its PG-rating and do not consider the story, plotting, or events as something that will interest youngsters. I know if I was nine or ten years younger and saw this film, I would've been bored to tears. Its moral-heavy nature, bland ideas, and two-dimensional characters would've been of no interest to me. This is likely why I sought out films like Clerks and Rat Race, instead of Joe Somebody, to find a more exciting source of entertainment. At age six, you couldn't drag me to this film.And thus, I sought it out when I was older for a cockamamie fulfillment on my curiosity's behalf. All I can say is that I've made much worse decisions in my life - much wiser ones too. Joe Somebody is a wholesome, competent exercise in family filmmaking, yet its premise is dull, its drama is lukewarm, its messages/morals are jumbled, and we end on a hokey note with the only thing to truly think about being the asinine, cutesy little "twist" (employing that word loosely).Tim Allen stars as Joe Scheffer, a hard-working everyman who is recently going through divorce, suffering a distinct lack of appreciation at his cubicle-job, despite ten years of employment. One "Take your daughter to work" day he's anxiously going to show his little girl (Hayden Panettiere) the people there, but the problem ensues from when he tries to park in his lot. The spot is taken by a narcissistic oaf (Patrick Warburton), who shouldn't even be parking in the lot because it's reserved for those who have worked at the place for ten-plus years. When Joe tries to confront the man, he is punched twice in the face, being shamed in front of the office and his daughter. Even though it's relatively early in the film, this scene works as we truly sympathize with Joe and his predicament. Can you imagine such a disrespectful, unnecessary blow (no pun intended) to your ego, let alone one in front of someone who looks up to you? The scene, in a loose sense, is kind of heartbreaking.However, sympathy is short-lived and familiarity begins to breed contempt faster than Joe's face returns to white and not red. Desperate for respect, yet too humiliated to come to work, there Joe sits in his home, drinking heavily and bleaching items in his home like a maid with OCD. With motivation from Meg Harper (Julie Bowen), his attractive coworker, Joe decides to get back on his feet, only this time, taking a ramshackle self-defense class taught by Jim Belushi, playing a hack action movie star.What unfolds is a predictable, unmemorable state of affairs involving Joe being taught how to defend himself, conquer fears, and be a more assertive male. There's nothing wrong with this story (when put with a sly writer and a confident director, it could've been quite the time), but what makes the story airless and impotent is the abrupt identity crisis it has with itself during the final act. Joe plans to fight the same idiot that punched him in an open field, which makes sense seeing how he was humiliated and is now being taught to be defensive. But wait; Meg believes it's wrong and Joe is how he is and manipulating your natural personality is wrong.Now we've walked into not only a morality issue, but a thematic issue all together. What moral is Joe Somebody communicating? Is it wrong to fight back in a situation where you've been humiliated and ashamed, or is it right to let everything go? The film shows both in a positive, life-affirming light. So which one do we walk away with? Having a movie go back on its theme is a crucial blow to not only its likability, but also, its purpose.As far as performances go, Allen is okay in his role as Joe, kind of uninspired and rather unremarkable, much like his character, and Bowen's value stems only as her role as a good love interest here. Other than that, performances can't be the saving grace here.Joe Somebody was directed by John Pasquin, who manned the camera in two other Tim Allen projects, those being The Santa Clause (unseen by me) and the loathsome Jungle 2 Jungle. While Pasquin is clearly intentioned on making this a favorable parable, it quickly spirals into predictable situations and uninspired banter between characters who are nice enough to spend fifteen to twenty minutes with, but ninety-eight minutes begins to stretch the line of tolerance.Starring: Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, Hayden Panettiere, Patrick Warburton, and Jim Belushi. Directed by: John Pasquin.

Nothing wrong with this movie really. I don't think people treat this movie fairly. It's a sweet little entertaining comedy, that is not hilarious but at all time a pleasant one to watch.Normally director John Pasquin really doesn't make great comedies but I think I can say that this is a good movie and probably easily his best.Yes, of course the movie has morals in it that are bittersweet and make the movie also predictable. Nevertheless, I think the movie delivers its messages well and not so much in a preachy kind of way. It helps the messages of the movie come across and therefor the movie is an effective one.As a matter of fact; everything in the movie works out quite well. This includes the love-story, the movie its dramatic elements and the characters themselves. The movie is a good balance of fun and entertainment and some more serous and dramatic family plot-elements, that of course never divert from the movie its fun and pleasant elements.Not too much about the story really, it's actually kind of silly and hard to believe but it serves as a good basis for the movie to tell its story. The characters and actors in the movie are definitely good enough to make the movie more fun and entertaining to watch. Tim Allen fits the role and the movie has a great supporting cast with actors such as Greg Germann, Patrick Warburton and James Belushi in some good and fun comedy roles.It's easily a movie I would watch again.7/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

I watched this on the big screen on dollar movie night. There's nothing like dollar movie night. After watching a string of OK movies every Wednesday I sat down to see 'Joe Somebody'.I don't think I've ever walked out on a movie before. Every movie seems to have at least some sort of entertainment value. I almost walked out on 'Joe Somebody'. Tho I stayed till the end, the movie didn't really improve. It's hard to say what was so 'bad' about this movie. Perhaps I felt it was insulting my intelligence. I think mostly I just didn't care about any of the characters, or if I did care, none of their actions seemed to matter. I don't think it was a matter of knowing the message already. I didn't know how the movie was going to end. It may have been I just didn't believe the build up. That after agreeing to the fight he suddenly becomes the most popular guy at work.Joe Somebody may have just struck too close to home for me. Who knows? I was like trying to turn my head away for the whole movie, perhaps. Maybe for me, the whole movie was like one long love scene. The kiss or embrace at the end a movie often builds up to. I was trying to turn my head away, trying to resist the brainwashing of the love scene! Can a man stand 2 hours of a love scene? I think not. Surely now we know a way to break AlQuida terrorists. . .