Joe - Revenge is His - DVD

Movie: After an extended stay in prison, Joe (Nicholas Cage) has gotten his life somewhat back on track. Through hard work, he has made it to the head of a logging crew. Despite the bad economic situation and a lack of prospects everywhere in the region, Joe tries to get the best out of it for himself and his employees. This also applies to 15-year-old Gary Jones (Ty Sheridan), who impresses Joe with his uncompromising zeal. Quickly, Joe develops fatherly feelings for the boy and he wants to give him the chance for a better life that he and the other adults in the area no longer have. But when he witnesses Gary's alcoholic father (Gary Poulter) threaten to destroy that chance with beatings and humiliations, Joe must fight hard against losing control of himself again - a fight he soon loses...

Director David Gordon Green is always good for a surprise. After a few smaller films like All the Real Girls, he made his breakthrough in 2008 with the stoner comedy Pineapple Express. This was followed by two comedies of rather disappointing quality, before he managed to thrill critics and audiences alike with the tragicomedy Prince Avalance in 2013. This indie gem is now followed by the drama Joe - Revenge is His, which couldn't be further from works like Pineapple Express. Infused with a depressing dreariness, Green here paints a very authentic-looking picture of life in the rural south of the US. By casting some of the roles not with actors, but with real residents of the area where he filmed, this realism is further emphasized. Green also takes a lot of time to show everyday things like the working process of Joe's troupe.

The very sustained pace that this creates and also the dark underlying mood ensure that this film almost completely defies the usual viewing habits of the audience. Joe - Revenge is His shows already in its first minutes that it is not a feel-good movie, that there will be no entertainment in the classical sense here. You have to be able to get involved with the very unwieldy production in order not to find what will ultimately prove to be the drama's great strength to be unbearably boring. But if you can face Green's idiosyncratic storytelling and don't let yourself be completely dragged down by the general hopelessness that prevails in the story, you'll be treated to a truly outstanding film that leaves a lasting impression not only dramaturgically.

Also in terms of acting, Joe - Revenge is His is absolutely first-rate. Particularly positive about it is that the often so scolded Nicholas Cage may finally prove here once again why he absolutely deserved to win an Oscar years ago. Alongside him, young Tye Sheridan delivers a no less impressive performance. After the 18-year-old young actor could already inspire alongside Matthew McConaughey in the drama Mud, he now once again proves his great talent. For the role of the alcoholic father Green got an actor literally from the street. Actually, Gary Poulter was only supposed to play a small supporting role, but Green was so impressed by the talent of the man that he gave him this important role without further ado. Unfortunately, Poulter didn't live to see the good reviews he received for it. He died just a short time after filming ended at the age of 53.

There are some scenes in the film that are almost unbearable. A sequence, for example, in which Joe finds out what Gary's sister is going to be forced to do by her father is not only extremely disturbing, but also very infuriating. And the fact that it's actually clear from the beginning that there simply can't be a happy ending in the classic sense here, puts additional pressure on the viewers' mood. Sure, at the end there remains something like a small glimmer of hope. Still, the drama as a whole is extremely heavy fare that you'll have to gnaw on long after the movie is over. That's what makes it so hard to recommend the movie. After all, why would you want to watch a movie that makes you feel bad most of the time and leaves you extremely frustrated?

The reason it's worth it is because of the excellent actors, the really good production and the very moving story. Sure, it's not really something for broad mass tastes. But if you appreciate American independent cinema, like authentic dramas and enjoy cinematic challenges, you should definitely not miss this heavy but really good film. Absolutely worth seeing!

Image + Sound: The DVD's image perfectly captures the film's bleak atmosphere. The pared-down color scheme, high image sharpness, and well-balanced contrasts ensure that the viewer is drawn right into the action. The German audio is available as both an atmospheric Dolby Digital 5.1 mix and a somewhat more powerful DTS track. There are rarely any really powerful surround moments. Rather, coherently implemented ambient noises, minor sound effects and the good matching of dialogue and music make for an effective soundstage. Good!

Extras: For the DVD, director David Gordon Green, along with producer David Wingo and supporting actor Brian Mays, have recorded an interesting audio commentary, though it is offered without subtitle options. The rather extreme southern accent of Brian Mays makes it difficult to follow the conversation even for interested viewers with a good knowledge of English.

In addition to the commentary, there is a decent promo making of (approx. 10:47 min.), as well as a featurette that goes into the making of the film and the book (approx. 15:16 min.). Two cut scenes (approx. 2:34 min.) and the trailer round out the additional offerings.

Conclusion: Joe - Revenge is His is extremely heavy fare. David Gordon Green has directed a dreary, somewhat unwieldy yet gripping southern drama carried by an extremely strong Nicholas Cage. Not a film for a relaxing DVD evening, but those who appreciate challenging independent cinema should definitely give this one a look. The DVD presents the film in good picture and sound quality and also has short but worth seeing bonus material to offer. Recommendable

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp