My Name Is Joe [Mein Name ist Joe] (1998)

RATING:	80%
FORMAT:	DVD

(Image: http://it.wikipedia.org/)

An insightful and subtle look at the world of drug addicts and alcoholics that’s as funny as it is sad. A world where there are no moral absolutes, such that middle-class criticisms of their lifestyles cease to be valid once you are witness the unpleasant reality of their situation. Their self-imposed exile from reality is easy to empathize with given the dour nature of a reality without work, hope or anything worthwhile to live for.

Ken Loach presents poor people as people and not as stereotypes. Blacks are also presented positively which, for a white film-maker, is unusual. This, indeed, is his main contribution to cinema: Visual naturalism coupled with psychological realism. Most drama is psychologically unrealistic because it is stereotypical rather than archetypal. Attempts are made to politically and culturally pigeonhole fictional characters to give vent to the political positions of the writers; while little is done to elucidate human nature, as such. In Loach’s work, the tail never wags the dog: Characters conform to archetypes and not our neurotic needs.

Loach directs in his usual social realist style and, by keeping his camera at a respectful distance from the actors, secures high quality and unforced performances from all concerned. As they appear, here, like the kind of unvarnished people one meets in real life, here they appear to wear no make up and seem not to be acting.

Copyright © 2013 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://franktalker5.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.