Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Joe Dirt Blu-ray Movie Review

'Joe Dirt' cleans up nicely on Blu-ray.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 29, 2015

Joe Dirt is probably best described as a "stupid" movie, but "stupid" in the nicest, most sincere, and heartwarming way possible. A story of a simple young man who travels the country in search of his parents, it's inane and unbelievable but at the same time surprisingly touching and honest, at least in the simplest, black-and-white use of the terms. Director Dennie Gordon (What a Girl Wants) keeps the film approachable yet chaotic, ridiculous in every way but grounded in a tangible sense of adventure and heart, a look at a man who craves only the simplest things but must go through all sorts of hells to get the answers he seeks and find the family he loves. A rags-to-riches film where the rags are symbolized in the name, the hair, and the character's simpleton ways and the riches are already in his heart, just waiting for the people who can't see past the façade to notice they're there, Joe Dirt offers a breezy, meaningful little adventure that may not epitomize great filmmaking but that should leave the audience satisfied with the total experience.

Joe Dirt (David Spade) maintains a largely positive outlook on life even as his name, his outdated mullet haircut, his rust bucket car, and his menial job keep him on the bottom rung of humanity and make him an easy target for people who are "better" than he. He currently works as a janitor at a Los Angeles radio station and is one day plopped in front of the microphone to speak with hotshot host Zander Kelly (Dennis Miller). Joe is poked and prodded, at first serving as a punching bag for the quick-witted talker. But as his story unfolds, he gains a modicum of respect from Kelly as he recalls his life's journey. Joe has spent most of his life in search of his parents who left him behind on a visit to the Grand Canyon. He lived in-and-out of various foster homes but never gave up the dream of reuniting with his parents. His adventures take him all over the map and bring him into contact with a number of people, some of whom like him and some of whom don't. Amongst the positive acquaintances he makes are a beautiful young girl named Brandy (Brittany Daniel), a fireworks salesman named Kickin' Wing (Adam Beach), and a high school janitor named Clem (Christopher Walken). Meanwhile, Joe's story transfixes an ever-growing listening audience, making him an instant celebrity and, just maybe, opening up a few new avenues to explore in his never-ending search for answers.

Despite its zany premise, ridiculous happenings, absurd characters, and general unbelievability, Joe Dirt rises a bit above expectations on the back of its simplicity and charm. The movie doesn't aim high but instead aims to please, producing a fun little slice-of-life grounded in the absurd yet formed in the heart. As the film takes its title character all over the physical map, so too does it traverse a broad range of emotions that all have one thing in common: Joe's unflinching kindness, steadfastness, and ability to see a larger picture around him even as he's continuously put down for everything from his appearance to his name. He's not the sharpest tool in the box -- no question about that -- but what he is is an individual whose compass points true, fluctuating enough to get him slightly off course at times but always staying around that general area that points to, and emanates from, his heart. In short, he uses what he has to the best of his abilities, which isn't much in the way of street or book smarts but rather a largely unwavering determination to answer his life's question. That drives him in all he does, and it's an admirable quality that, at the end of the day, proves more important than the little things that people who can't see past the shell find worthy of ridicule.

The film paints Joe very simply, then. He's not any sort of extreme but just odd enough to keep the world against him, at least the world that refuses to see the man behind the name and the hair and the menial jobs. In many ways, Joe is usually the better man up against the more "normal" people he encounters, particularly those who take the opportunity of his acquaintance to artificially prop themselves up by cutting him down. That's not a new idea in dramatic storytelling, but even as it's all fairly simple and lacking the depth of, say, a Carl Childers or Forrest Gump -- two famous off-kilter film characters who, like Joe, see the world around them in a more clearly defined way than the "normal" people with whom they associate -- the film finds a pleasant center that sees Joe refusing to allow the blows to keep him from his goal. Sure he's his own worst enemy sometimes, and he often can't see the forest for the trees, but it's that ticking center, that laser-like focus on what he wants, not what others think, that keep him going. The movie shows that obstacles, both those of one's own doing and those the world throws at a person, don't have to lead to defeat. So long as that compass remains true and the heart in the right place, even the lowest of individuals can plow through and find their own victories in life.

The comedic overtones mean the film can't necessarily go too deep; it's all rather superficial but it manages to get a lot of mileage out of everything it has its its disposal, more hinting at themes through the veneer of the comically absurd but enjoying a good balance between broadly humorous and subtly meaningful. David Spade nails the character -- the physical and verbal cadence and the inward determination alike -- about as well as can be expected of a character whose dichotomy is broadly defined, lacking real intimate depth but showing enough to balance the film between its comedic overtones and its dramatic middle. Spade does well with the character, even if it often feels like there's more to be explored, more depth to unearth, but that's more an issue with the writing, the film's scope, and what it wants to be than Spade's work. He's surrounded by a high quality cast of top-end actors filling various parts, including Christopher Walken, Fred Ward, and Joe Don Baker, all of whom are great in their mostly limited roles.

Joe Dirt Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Joe Dirt makes its Blu-ray debut with a good quality 1080p transfer, not quite a striking image but one that brings the movie to life with a vitality and clarity never before seen on home video. Generally, the image presents details very well, offering close-ups that showcase a series of borderline impeccable textures, including ratty clothes, skin lines and pores, rusted car details, rustic exterior accents, and other bits throughout. The film's early Grand Canyon moments are particularly striking, with excellent definition evident on the rock faces and terrain. The image does sometimes look a little too flat and mildly soft, though never to any image-destroying extent. Grain isn't overwhelming. Colors are healthy and bright. Primaries are bold and plentiful and only borderline garish on a couple of loud red shirts. Natural greens, various examples of earthy terrain, and other exterior shades look great, particularly in the many sun-drenched outdoors scenes. Black levels don't stray too far from natural, and flesh tones appear accurate to the actors' natural complexions.

Joe Dirt Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Joe Dirt's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is never asked to stretch and dominate, but it handles the film's involved, but not frenzied, sound design nicely enough. The 80s Rock soundtrack is the signature element, presenting sharp guitar riffs and a quality low end heft with a commendable sense of space and clarity. Various supportive atmospherics are lightly involving and pleasantly full, including basic crowd din at the grand canyon or light natural ambient effects like rolling water or a quacking duck heard out in the wild. A shotgun blasts hits suitably hard while a throaty muscle car engine revs strongly, both representing some of the film's beefier sound effects. Dialogue is focused and presented with natural center placement and effortless clarity. Overall, this is a positive sound experience from Sony.

Joe Dirt Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Joe Dirt contains two commentaries, a look at the sequel, a short retrospective, bloopers, deleted scenes, and a trailer. Inside the Blu-ray case, buyers will find a voucher for a UV digital copy of the film.

• Audio Commentary: Director Dennie Gordon offers a good commentary, pointing out little technical anecdotes and broader film details alike. She discusses the character's signature mullet, characters and cast, prop design, wardrobe, scene specific stories, shooting locales, and more. Gordon's track is well spoken if not a bit straightforward. Fans should find it of enough value to spend 90 minutes with it.
• Audio Commentary: Writer/Actor David Spade's track is every bit as humorous as one might expect, finding a nice balance between insightful and laugh-out-loud funny, favoring the latter but often doing so in the context of the former. Though not as technical as the director track, this one feels more like watching the movie with a friend rather than studying it in a classroom.
• The Making of Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser (1080p, 4:29): A plot summary of the new movie, clips, and cast interviews.
• Joe Dirt -- The Return (1080p, 3:40): In this new retrospective piece, the primary cast looks back at the original film, discusses its legacy, and covers character qualities.
• Outtakes and Bloopers (480i, 3:06, windowbox).
• Deleted Scenes (480i, windowbox): The Meteorite (0:29), The Meteorite with Commentary (0:29), 8-Track Tape (0:47), 8-Track Tape with Commentary (0:47), Friendly Neighbors (0:44), Friendly Neighbors with Commentary (0:44), Happy Dog (0:24), Ride to the Airport (0:43), Space Stuff (0:21), and Whatever Joe Wants (0:21). On commentary in select scenes is Director Dennie Gordon.
• Joe Dirt -- Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:27).

Joe Dirt Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Joe Dirt is Hardly a standout but it's a fun little diversion in its own unique ways, a movie that finds a nice balance between "stupid" and "touching." The script might have been a little tighter, the lead character a little more than a few basic strokes, but the film's center is true and its comic outer layer satisfies. David Spade handles the character as well as can be expected, and he's surrounded by a top-notch supporting cast. Sony's Blu-ray release of Joe Dirt features good video and audio. A healthy allotment of bonus content is included. Watch for Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser coming in July 2015 to Crackle. Recommended.