The films to
come from Adam Sandler’s company, Happy Madison, have reached a level of such
terrible reputation in the last decade that I somehow imagined even the worst
productions from years ago to surpass the likes of Jack and Jill or the Grown
Ups franchise. I may have been allowed to keep this disillusion going, as I
can’t imagine a situation beyond the need to review a newly released Blu-ray
that ever would have led me to re-watch Joe
Dirt. But because this awful comedy is receiving an unnecessary
straight-to-video sequel nearly 15 years after its release, Joe Dirt has been given a high
definition release in conjunction, just to remind us how little the franchise
needs to be continued.
In yet another
unsuccessful attempt at fleshing a story which would have been better as a
Saturday Night Live sketch into a fully developed storyline, Joe Dirt gives David Spade another
opportunity to star in a film without Chris Farley. Rather than playing the
snide wisecracking persona that has become the mainstay of most his characters,
Spade attempts to make audiences like him with the sympathetic and
optimistically kind-hearted Joe Dirt. Don’t worry, though, because amidst his
gentle personality there is still plenty of room for the objectification of
women and endless poop jokes. More ridiculous than the number of times bathroom
humor carries a scene is the attempt to make audiences care about this absurd
character.
Joe Dirt may be
a redneck with an awful haircut, but it’s not entirely his fault. The style of
his hair is impeded by the fact that it is a wig which melded to his head at a
young age, so that he rocks the mullet out of necessity rather than choice.
This is somewhat confusing, because he really is a redneck in every other way.
Going sleeveless in as many shirts as possible and growing out sideburns to
match his awful hair, Joe seems to embrace the style that the film then tries
to convince us is incidental.
He works as a
janitor at a popular radio station in Los Angeles, living in the boiler room in
the building despite the opening scene contradictorily showing him arriving at
work, and is noticed by a shock jock DJ (Dennis Miller) looking for an easy
target to make fun of. Over the course of three days, Joe tells the story of
the search for his long-lost parents to a fanbase of listeners who all remain
in the same place wearing the same clothing all three days of the narrative.
Even more miraculous is the listeners’ ability to know what Joe and the other
people in his story look like, almost as if they are watching the same movie of
the flashbacks that we are. This is the kind of logic that is the foundation of
Joe Dirt, which I suppose is fitting
for a film with Kid Rock as a co-star and a meet cute involving a dog’s testicles
frozen to a porch.
With promotion
of the sequel being the primary reason for this release, it is no surprise that
the extras include a featurette about the making of the new film that nobody
asked for. Also included are two commentary tracks, with David Spade and
director Dennie Gordon. Those who complain about the lack of female directors
can champion this film as having one, though I think the bigger problem is a
lack of female directors who have the ability to make good movies. This is not
a good movie, and the deleted scenes don’t add anything to the mess. There is
probably more to laugh at in the outtakes and blooper reel than the entire
film. The extras also include the original theatrical trailer.
Entertainment Value:
4.5/10
Quality of Filmmaking:
3/10
Historical
Significance: 3/10
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