Intro:
When a lovable but rugged wanderer is discovered by a local radio talk show host in a Los Angeles radio station, his story becomes an instant hit. Going by the name of Joe Dirt, he shares every aspect of his life. From the day his parents left him at the Grand Canyon at the age of eight to his days as a janitor for a school in Louisiana, Joe travels across the entire United States searching for his parents, meeting new friends (and some enemies) along the way.
It takes the interview to make Joe realize that he had been happy after all, but his tireless search and goal prevented him from seeing it originally. Can Joe go back, or is it too late?
Dialogue:
The dialogue fits with the characters quite nicely in Joe Dirt; country drawls and references helped make the movie more entertaining. The movie also has quite a bit of parodies and spoofs referring to real life and other films.
A noteworthy example is that of Joe’s encounter with ‘Buffalo Bob’, an obvious parody of the villain ‘Buffalo Bill’ in The Silence of the Lambs. Buffalo Bob forces Joe to “put the lotion on its skin” in exchange for AutoTrader magazines, which Joe enjoys reading.
Acting:
A superb cast lineup that included David Spade, Christopher Walken, and even Kid Rock is what made Joe Dirt shine in my opinion. The movie would not be the same (it would be good, but not as good) without the original cast.
Plot:
How many movies start out with a kid being left behind at the Grand Canyon? I thought so.
The plot of Joe Dirt is fantastic. The randomness and hilarity of the journey that Joe took across the United States is nothing short of awesome. Everything bad that could possibly happen can and does happen to Joe. He couldn’t even drive his car he bought for a handful of change because he was whisked away in a giant balloon!
You should know by now that originality in the plot in a BIG factor in my reviewing of films.
Music:
The tracks that were used in Joe Dirt were perfect. Tons of mainstream and popular rock songs proliferated throughout; notably hits from Blue Oyster Cult, the Dave Mathews Band, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Joe also stated many times throughout the movie that he was “a rocker” and frequently listened to “Skynyrd”.
Overall:
Joe Dirt is a great film. Not only was the casting great, but the entire film was original and pretty entertaining. You don’t even have to track down a DVD of this one, it’s rerun on TV fairly often. If you love comedy, you’ll love Joe Dirt!
5/5 Reels
Platinum Squid Rating
Worth your time!
Trailer:
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