- Actors: Peter Mullan, Louise Goodall, David Mckay, Anne Marie Kennedy, Richard Masur
- Directors: Ken Loach
- Format: PAL, Colour, HiFi Sound, Anamorphic, Widescreen
- Language English
- Subtitles: English
- Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.66:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: 15
- Studio: Channel 4
- DVD Release Date: 17 Mar 2008
- Run Time: 101 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B0010LAZYE
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 40,049 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Synopsis
In My Name Is Joe Peter Mullan ("Orphans"; "Miss Julie") stars as Joe Kavanagh, a recovering alcoholic in his late thirties. Like half the people in his impoverished Glasgow neighborhood, he's unemployed, on the doll, and struggling to get by between odd jobs and coaching a ragtag soccer team largely consisting of delinquents. As difficult as his life may seem, however, he's buoyed by a willed optimism that he realizes is the only alternative to reverting to his addiction. When he's caught by a niggling unemployment official while doing the odd wallpapering job for social worker-nurse Sarah Downie (Louise Goodall), she helps to keep him from losing his sinecure. The two soon begin a tentative relationship, but Joe remains connected to his former life through his young friend Liam (David McKay), an ex-con and former addict. Mullan is utterly believable as another of social-realist director Ken Loach's characters attempting to negotiate the tough climate of 1980s Great Britain.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
"My Name Is Joe" is a typically gritty, unflinching Ken Loach movie from 1998. It stars the excellent Peter Mullan, who gives an amiable performance as recovering alcoholic JOE.
This Glasgow-set story concerns Joe's blossoming relationship with a good-natured social worker named Sarah. The initial harmony of this relationship is soon put under pressure due to Joe's feelings of responsibility for his friend Liam. Liam, you see, has a history of heroin abuse and as a consequence a gang of drug dealing thugs are constantly darkening his door. When Joe learns that Liam is in debt (to the tune of thousands of pounds), his benevolent nature comes to the fore and Joe feels that he has no option but to help his friend. As a result, his relationship with Sarah is threatened and Joe ultimately feels the lure of booze returning to throttle him. The film's climax does not make for easy viewing...
"My Name Is Joe" is one of Ken Loach's most revered movies, and it's easy to see why. Loach is a director who always strives for realism, and it must be said that movies don't come much more "warts 'n' all" than this one. In fact, this movie is frequently so realistic it's actually painful to watch. There is a twitchy heroin-shooting scene that could accurately be described as stomach-churning. There is also a graphic suicide scene which is, frankly, almost UNBEARABLE to watch. Is this movie light-hearted fun for all the family? Erm...no.
That said, there are still moments of humour in this movie to cut through the darkness (mainly involving Joe's hapless football team of delinquents). Be warned, however, that this is far from being a comedy and could leave many viewers feeling emotionally drained. Is it a film to fall in love with? NO. Is it a film to be admired? MOST DEFINITELY. The lack of mindless escapism here is definitely to be applauded.
In conclusion:- If you are after a little bit of light Saturday night entertainment, AVOID this film. If, however, you are seeking a thought-provoking story that is humanistic and features believable characters, then prepare to be rewarded.
This Glasgow-set story concerns Joe's blossoming relationship with a good-natured social worker named Sarah. The initial harmony of this relationship is soon put under pressure due to Joe's feelings of responsibility for his friend Liam. Liam, you see, has a history of heroin abuse and as a consequence a gang of drug dealing thugs are constantly darkening his door. When Joe learns that Liam is in debt (to the tune of thousands of pounds), his benevolent nature comes to the fore and Joe feels that he has no option but to help his friend. As a result, his relationship with Sarah is threatened and Joe ultimately feels the lure of booze returning to throttle him. The film's climax does not make for easy viewing...
"My Name Is Joe" is one of Ken Loach's most revered movies, and it's easy to see why. Loach is a director who always strives for realism, and it must be said that movies don't come much more "warts 'n' all" than this one. In fact, this movie is frequently so realistic it's actually painful to watch. There is a twitchy heroin-shooting scene that could accurately be described as stomach-churning. There is also a graphic suicide scene which is, frankly, almost UNBEARABLE to watch. Is this movie light-hearted fun for all the family? Erm...no.
That said, there are still moments of humour in this movie to cut through the darkness (mainly involving Joe's hapless football team of delinquents). Be warned, however, that this is far from being a comedy and could leave many viewers feeling emotionally drained. Is it a film to fall in love with? NO. Is it a film to be admired? MOST DEFINITELY. The lack of mindless escapism here is definitely to be applauded.
In conclusion:- If you are after a little bit of light Saturday night entertainment, AVOID this film. If, however, you are seeking a thought-provoking story that is humanistic and features believable characters, then prepare to be rewarded.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
My Name is Joe and I am an alcoholic
I am a Ken Loach fan as I liked all the old plays for today in the sixties which were slices of life. This film is certainly that as we follow Joe who is a recovering alcoholic.
There are some funny incidents as when the football club of unemployed turn up in filthy West German football kits. They have to change them as the opposition want to be Germany.
Franz Beckenbauer a fat bold player objects by saying But I have always been Beckenbauer
The referee says if you are Franz Beckenbauer I am the tooth fairy.
After more objections he says
Well Franz you are going to have to change your strip. They do by going topless.
The language is raw but so are the living conditions.
Joe meets and fancies a health worker Sarah. In a very moving section she asks why he gave up drinking. he said he didn't want to tell her as she might hate him.
He ended up beating up his girlfriend and later claiming that he had been drunk but he hadn't. as a result he gave up drink.
He is now on the straight and narrow but he decided to help Liam who owes money to gangsters. Joe decides to help by doing a drug run.
Sarah finds out which breaks their relationship. Things go from bad to worse with fatal consequences for Liam.
The ending is sad but you have a glimmer of hope that they will find each other.
A gritty realistic film which shows people who are in the mire and that they can't necessarily get out of it.
It is filmed like a documentary and you could easily believe that these people are not actors. A good film but some might not like its grim realism.
I am a Ken Loach fan as I liked all the old plays for today in the sixties which were slices of life. This film is certainly that as we follow Joe who is a recovering alcoholic.
There are some funny incidents as when the football club of unemployed turn up in filthy West German football kits. They have to change them as the opposition want to be Germany.
Franz Beckenbauer a fat bold player objects by saying But I have always been Beckenbauer
The referee says if you are Franz Beckenbauer I am the tooth fairy.
After more objections he says
Well Franz you are going to have to change your strip. They do by going topless.
The language is raw but so are the living conditions.
Joe meets and fancies a health worker Sarah. In a very moving section she asks why he gave up drinking. he said he didn't want to tell her as she might hate him.
He ended up beating up his girlfriend and later claiming that he had been drunk but he hadn't. as a result he gave up drink.
He is now on the straight and narrow but he decided to help Liam who owes money to gangsters. Joe decides to help by doing a drug run.
Sarah finds out which breaks their relationship. Things go from bad to worse with fatal consequences for Liam.
The ending is sad but you have a glimmer of hope that they will find each other.
A gritty realistic film which shows people who are in the mire and that they can't necessarily get out of it.
It is filmed like a documentary and you could easily believe that these people are not actors. A good film but some might not like its grim realism.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
"My Name is Joe" was a very fast 100 minutes for me, so it's fair to say that I enjoyed it. The basic story is that Joe is an unemployed recovering alcoholic who meets up with a local health visitor (Sarah) and romance blossoms. However in the world of an inner city Glasgow housing estate - with poverty, deprivation, drugs, and other associated factors such as organised crime, the romance is not straightforward.
This is a hard-hitting film. It contains strong language from the very outset, violence and even intravenous drug use. There are moral undertones though - such as just how hard it is to turn your life around when the spiral and the socio-economic odds are so heavily stacked against you.
Overall, this is a very watchable movie. There are also 28 minutes of extras in the form of interviews with the cast and the director. If you're not Scottish you might just need to put your subtitles on.
This is a hard-hitting film. It contains strong language from the very outset, violence and even intravenous drug use. There are moral undertones though - such as just how hard it is to turn your life around when the spiral and the socio-economic odds are so heavily stacked against you.
Overall, this is a very watchable movie. There are also 28 minutes of extras in the form of interviews with the cast and the director. If you're not Scottish you might just need to put your subtitles on.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Masterpiece
This is Loach at his absolute best (as in Kes, Raining Stones and Sweet Sixteen). A powerful and unsentimental tale of working life in Glasgow, with outstanding performances from... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Keith M
My name is Joe, Gritty Glaswegian movie
Great movie, another in a long line of great british cinema classics. I saw this movie when it was just out and I thought it was excellent. Had it on tape when it came on T. Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2010 by Mark
Superb
This was really an excellent film. A french friend who is very into international films and cinema introduced me to this film and I fully agree with his choice. Read more
Published on 9 Dec 2009 by Mme Anna Cook
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