'Joe Dirt' offers nothing special

By Jeremy Rea
Staff Writer

What can I tell you about "Joe Dirt" that you aren't already going to know? And what that you don't know are you going to care about?

The past few years have seen an inexplicable number of "Saturday Night Live"-inspired films starring comedians not quite funny enough for real movies. Yet somehow, there is a still a demographic that's apparently demanding more. "Joe Dirt" targets that audience with a laser beam, holding the aim steady throughout the entire movie.

"Joe Dirt" recounts the life story of star David Spade, a diminutive, unfunny product of a white-trash household who manages, through no real talent of his own, to achieve a small level of short-lived fame. But I kid, David Spade.

"Joe Dirt" does, however, recount the life story of Joe Dirt, as told by Joe to talk radio disc jockey Barry (played by the prolifically banal Dennis Miller, who is true to form).

Poor Joe was abandoned at the Grand Canyon as a child and grows up on his own, in and out of institutions and juvenile centers. Finally, Joe decides to set out on his own and find his family but not before finding a giant ball of excrement and some dog testicles frozen to a porch.

Joe continues to have some zany adventures, including encountering some bizarre cameos (Christopher Walken is most conspicuous), before predictably finding true happiness.

Aside from that, there is little to say for the movie that hasn't been reiterated in every other film of its ilk. Yes, the funniest parts of the movie are given away in the previews. Yes, you're going to have to suspend every working brain cell in order to accept the plot. Yes, women are objectified and yes, there are fart and dog-humping gags.

A more interesting question, perhaps, would be just how long this series of garbage movies is going to remain popular? Granted, marketing blitzes and a handful of genuinely comic moments nearly guarantee "Joe Dirt" a respectable opening weekend, just like all movies churned out by Adam Sandler.

Yet after that, it'll be passed into the heap along with "Deuce Bigalow" and "Little Nicky." Everyone then waits patiently for the next installment (not to fear, "The Animal," starring Rob Schneider, hits theaters soon). It makes me sad. Whoever said you'll never go poor pandering to the lowest common denominator knew what they were talking about.

So "Joe Dirt" is exactly what you're expecting it to be, and if that appeals to you, knock yourself out.

 

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