Uriah43 "Joe Scheffer" (Tim Allen) works in a large corporation and is going through some tough times. Not only has his wife, "Callie Scheffer" (Kelly Lynch) left him for another man but to make things even more humiliating he is beaten up in the parking lot of his company in front of his young daughter, "Natalie Scheffer" (Hayden Panettiere) . Too ashamed to return to work he is visited by a corporate counselor by the name of "Meg Harper" (Julie Bowen) who inadvertently gives him the idea of challenging the corporate bully "Mark McKinney" (Patrick Warburton) into a rematch. Suddenly, he becomes the rising star in the company and his behavior changes accordingly. Anyway, although this film started off pretty good it didn't seem to add anything new or interesting after the first 15 minutes or so. It was like one long joke which just dragged on for 98 minutes and it got old quickly. And while I liked the performance of Julie Bowen and I certainly didn't think her presence or that of Kelly Lynch hurt the scenery in any way neither of them were able to elevate this film enough for me to rate it any higher than I have. Slightly below average.

Steve Pulaski Joe Somebody is one of those movies where we're supposed to believe it's a movie for kids based on its PG-rating and do not consider the story, plotting, or events as something that will interest youngsters. I know if I was nine or ten years younger and saw this film, I would've been bored to tears. Its moral-heavy nature, bland ideas, and two-dimensional characters would've been of no interest to me. This is likely why I sought out films like Clerks and Rat Race, instead of Joe Somebody, to find a more exciting source of entertainment. At age six, you couldn't drag me to this film.And thus, I sought it out when I was older for a cockamamie fulfillment on my curiosity's behalf. All I can say is that I've made much worse decisions in my life - much wiser ones too. Joe Somebody is a wholesome, competent exercise in family filmmaking, yet its premise is dull, its drama is lukewarm, its messages/morals are jumbled, and we end on a hokey note with the only thing to truly think about being the asinine, cutesy little "twist" (employing that word loosely).Tim Allen stars as Joe Scheffer, a hard-working everyman who is recently going through divorce, suffering a distinct lack of appreciation at his cubicle-job, despite ten years of employment. One "Take your daughter to work" day he's anxiously going to show his little girl (Hayden Panettiere) the people there, but the problem ensues from when he tries to park in his lot. The spot is taken by a narcissistic oaf (Patrick Warburton), who shouldn't even be parking in the lot because it's reserved for those who have worked at the place for ten-plus years. When Joe tries to confront the man, he is punched twice in the face, being shamed in front of the office and his daughter. Even though it's relatively early in the film, this scene works as we truly sympathize with Joe and his predicament. Can you imagine such a disrespectful, unnecessary blow (no pun intended) to your ego, let alone one in front of someone who looks up to you? The scene, in a loose sense, is kind of heartbreaking.However, sympathy is short-lived and familiarity begins to breed contempt faster than Joe's face returns to white and not red. Desperate for respect, yet too humiliated to come to work, there Joe sits in his home, drinking heavily and bleaching items in his home like a maid with OCD. With motivation from Meg Harper (Julie Bowen), his attractive coworker, Joe decides to get back on his feet, only this time, taking a ramshackle self-defense class taught by Jim Belushi, playing a hack action movie star.What unfolds is a predictable, unmemorable state of affairs involving Joe being taught how to defend himself, conquer fears, and be a more assertive male. There's nothing wrong with this story (when put with a sly writer and a confident director, it could've been quite the time), but what makes the story airless and impotent is the abrupt identity crisis it has with itself during the final act. Joe plans to fight the same idiot that punched him in an open field, which makes sense seeing how he was humiliated and is now being taught to be defensive. But wait; Meg believes it's wrong and Joe is how he is and manipulating your natural personality is wrong.Now we've walked into not only a morality issue, but a thematic issue all together. What moral is Joe Somebody communicating? Is it wrong to fight back in a situation where you've been humiliated and ashamed, or is it right to let everything go? The film shows both in a positive, life-affirming light. So which one do we walk away with? Having a movie go back on its theme is a crucial blow to not only its likability, but also, its purpose.As far as performances go, Allen is okay in his role as Joe, kind of uninspired and rather unremarkable, much like his character, and Bowen's value stems only as her role as a good love interest here. Other than that, performances can't be the saving grace here.Joe Somebody was directed by John Pasquin, who manned the camera in two other Tim Allen projects, those being The Santa Clause (unseen by me) and the loathsome Jungle 2 Jungle. While Pasquin is clearly intentioned on making this a favorable parable, it quickly spirals into predictable situations and uninspired banter between characters who are nice enough to spend fifteen to twenty minutes with, but ninety-eight minutes begins to stretch the line of tolerance.Starring: Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, Hayden Panettiere, Patrick Warburton, and Jim Belushi. Directed by: John Pasquin.

xredgarnetx I have now managed to finally catch all of JOE SOMEBODY, the tale of an anonymous office schnook (Tim Allen) who challenges the office bully (Puddy from SEINFELD) to a fight in the company parking lot. Sound familiar? Allen is only moderately entertaining in the nebbish role, although the very cute Hayden P. is on hand as his sensitive and very bright daughter. The laughs do not exactly roll along as the director tries to walk a fine line between comedy and mawkish drama. The best parts of the film concern Allen training under a has-been actor and martial arts "master" played by the thoroughly out-of-shape Jim Belushi. Seeing Allen get slapped around by the beer-swilling Belushi somewhat helps make up for all of the terrible films Allen has appeared in over the last 20 years. Some of the quieter moments involving Allen and a sympathetic office colleague played by Julie Bowen also are worth a look. As a whole, the film is too long and boring. The ultimate showdown between Allen and Puddy is not worth sitting through the whole thing.

magicsinglez I watched this on the big screen on dollar movie night. There's nothing like dollar movie night. After watching a string of OK movies every Wednesday I sat down to see 'Joe Somebody'.I don't think I've ever walked out on a movie before. Every movie seems to have at least some sort of entertainment value. I almost walked out on 'Joe Somebody'. Tho I stayed till the end, the movie didn't really improve. It's hard to say what was so 'bad' about this movie. Perhaps I felt it was insulting my intelligence. I think mostly I just didn't care about any of the characters, or if I did care, none of their actions seemed to matter. I don't think it was a matter of knowing the message already. I didn't know how the movie was going to end. It may have been I just didn't believe the build up. That after agreeing to the fight he suddenly becomes the most popular guy at work.Joe Somebody may have just struck too close to home for me. Who knows? I was like trying to turn my head away for the whole movie, perhaps. Maybe for me, the whole movie was like one long love scene. The kiss or embrace at the end a movie often builds up to. I was trying to turn my head away, trying to resist the brainwashing of the love scene! Can a man stand 2 hours of a love scene? I think not. Surely now we know a way to break AlQuida terrorists. . .