Cast: Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, Kelly Lynch, Greg Germann, Hayden Panettiere, Patrick Warburton, James Belushi
Director: John Pasquin
Producers: Kenneth Atchity, Matthew Gross, Anne Kopelson, Arnold Kopelson, Brian Reilly
Screenplay: John Scott Shepherd
Cinematography: Daryn Okada
Music: George S. Clinton
U.S. Distributor: 20th Century Fox
What's the holiday season without a turkey? This year, in the midst of the satisfying cinematic courses dished out by The Lord of the Rings, A Beautiful Mind, and Ali, 20th Century Fox has provided us with the requisite fowl: the Tim Allen vehicle, Joe Somebody. One might be tempted to ask the suits at the distributor what they were thinking when they elected to release something this lackluster in the midst of the most frenzied movie week of the year, but there's not much mystery there. Branded with the family-friendly PG rating, Joe Somebody is hoping to appeal to parents in search of something they can take their young children to see. That would be a fine strategy if the movie was worth sitting through in the first place.
Tim Allen plays timid Joe Scheffer, the "video communications specialist" for a pharmaceuticals company. One day, when Joe is bringing his young daughter, Natalie (Hayden Panettiere), to see his workplace, he becomes embroiled involved in an argument with a burly co-worker, Mark McKinney (Patrick Warburton), over a parking spot. After a little taunting, Mark beats Joe up in front of his fellow employees and Natalie. Humiliated, Joe spends several days hiding out from everyone. When he re-emerges from his house, he decides to learn a little self-defense, then challenge Mark to a "rematch". He enrolls in a one-on-one, basic martial arts course given by ex-movie action star Chuck Scarett (James Belushi), and, as his self-confidence rises, he earns the respect of nearly everyone working at the company. The exceptions are Jeremy Callahan (Greg Germann), who's looking for the opportunity to take Joe down, and Meg Harper (Julie Bowen), who liked Joe before he started looking and acting like Joe Cool.
One of the biggest problems with Joe Somebody is its mixed messages. For most of the running length, the film seems to be promoting the idea that standing up for yourself, even if it means fighting someone else to regain your self-respect, is a good thing. Then, towards the end, in a flurry of political correctness, the screenplay reverses itself and preaches the following creed: FIGHTING IS BAD!!! If you turn the other cheek, we are led to believe, you will be respected by everyone. Consequently, not only are viewers left confused about the moral the movie is trying to advance, but we're left with an unsatisfying, wishy-washy ending. Where's the triumph of good over evil? And why is it okay to hit one guy but not the other one? In a formula comedy like this, it's a fundamentally bad idea to cheat the audience of what they're expecting. You can get away with that in an art film, but not in a mediocre mainstream movie.
Those looking for reasons to justify paying money to see Joe Somebody will find a scarcity of ammunition. There are a few funny moments, but nothing truly outrageous. Some of the character interaction is nice, such as the low-key romance that develops between Joe and Meg, and the pleasant father/daughter bond that exists between Joe and Natalie. But there's no edge, and nothing to capture the attention. The entire production is bland, with the vanilla flavor having been enhanced as a result of 20th Century Fox's insistence that most of the four-letter words be expunged (director John Pasquin originally delivered a PG-13 version). In the studio's defense, it's not difficult to understand the reasoning underlying that move. At PG, the movie isn't likely to be seen by many people. At PG-13, it wouldn't be seen by anyone.
Tim Allen has yet to parlay his successful stint in TV sitcoms into a movie career. Yes, some of his films have been successful, but it's difficult to argue that Allen is the reason for that. The two Toy Story movies would have made just as much money with another actor providing the voice of Buzz Lightyear, The Santa Clause cashed in on the seasonal spirit, and Galaxy Quest was an ensemble Star Trek spoof. Movies resting squarely on Allen's shoulders, such as Jungle2Jungle (which, like The Santa Clause and Joe Somebody, was directed by Pasquin) and For Richer or Poorer, have sunk without a trace. Allen may be a gifted comedian, but outings like Joe Somebody give him little opportunity to show his stuff. Nearly all the laughs in this movie belong to James Belushi.
One can easily see Joe Somebody as the ultimate fruit of what happens when filmmakers allow political correctness to interfere with the creative process. Joe Somebody has the premise to be an entertaining little comedy, but the overwhelming need to sermonize and proselytize results in a final act that is as tedious as it is laughably absurd. Given the choice, I'd rather see somebody other than this particular Joe.
© 2001 James Berardinelli