My Name Is Joe (1998)

My Name Is Joe could be considered both a recovering alcoholic story and a social commentary on working-class life in Glasgow, Scotland. It could also be considered an affecting love story in which two people, Joe (Peter Mullen) and Sarah (Goodall), try to form a connection despite their uncertainties. Above all else, however, this film is a character study of a likable but flawed man who faces some very difficult choices. In a remarkable performance that's both dynamic and completely natural, Mullen masterfully conveys the conflicting sides of Joe's personality. He's a caring person and loyal friend who's proud of his commitment to both straightening out his own life and helping his buddies; but he risks getting into deep trouble because he has too little self-control and too many self-serving rationalizations for his impulsive behavior. Unfortunately, Sarah is not as well developed a character as Joe, although Goodall still manages to do a superb job of conveying how she is torn between her attraction to Joe and her wariness about getting into a serious relationship with him. This relationship, like the other elements of the film, seems particularly vivid and real because of Ken Loach's skill at capturing moments from ordinary life, including both the aggravations (e.g., the difficulties of getting prescriptions at a medical clinic) and the humor (e.g., the uniforms of the losing soccer team). This sense of verisimilitude is enhanced by Loach's ability to write dialogue that is both intelligent and believable; it should be noted, however, that the actors recite this dialogue in accents so authentically thick that this English-language movie has been subtitled for the United States. The only major flaw in this otherwise exceptional film is that it relies on somewhat melodramatic plot contrivances near the end; even the melodrama, however, is handled in a thoughtful and compelling manner. ~ Todd Kristel, All Movie Guide