JOE
Starring Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan
Directed by David Gordon Green
A bruising tale of redemption, Joe also serves to restore the reputations of its maligned creators. After his foray into lowbrow comedy reached its nadir with 2011’s The Sitter, David Gordon Green returns to the small-scale dramatic storytelling that initially earned him acclaim. And the film’s grimy authenticity and aching pathos is all the more impressive given the presence of Nicolas Cage, who routinely approaches acting as performance art.
However, playing a troubled man constantly at war with his instincts seems a natural fit for Cage. Green’s script (adapted from Larry Brown’s “grit lit” novel) leaves the volatile Joe constantly teetering at the brink of unhinged rage, generating a persistent sense of dread that’s every bit as anxiety-inducing as buzzing feedback. Attempting to curb his violent impulses, Joe self-medicates with hard labour, liquor, and whores. However, the abuse inflicted on Gary (Tye Sheridan) – a teenager who’s just joined his tree-clearing crew – and the return of an old antagonist tests his resolve.
Having recently navigated similarly treacherous ground in the outstanding outlaw fable Mud, Sheridan delivers another convincing portrayal of a teenager principled beyond his years. Just as Gary’s decency and earnestness makes him an unlikely role model for Joe, Sheridan’s open, affecting performance seems to encourage Cage to take more subtle risks. Physically imposing but emotionally broken, Joe wields a knife with an artist’s grace but can bungle even the simplest of human interactions. In turns ferocious and quietly devastating, it’s a phenomenal performance that illustrates why filmmakers are always willing to give Cage another chance. On this occasion, he’s made the most of it.
