JOE DIRT 2: BEAUTIFUL LOSER

2015 | DIRECTOR: FRED WOLF | REVIEW BY GLENN COCHRANE.​

ZERO is the number of fucks I give about the vitriol that I've got coming at me following this review. I enjoyed JOE DIRT 2 and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I could pussy out and fall back on the whole “guilty pleasure” excuse, but screw it! It made me laugh and that's it's purpose, right?

I saw the original movie at the cinema and, being a sucker for that whole Happy Madison / SNL style of comedy, I really enjoyed it. Time was kind to JOE DIRT and over the years the film earned itself a cult following. With a strong fanbase the loveable redneck loser returns fifteen years later in JOE DIRT 2, a sequel that struggles to recapture the frivolity of its predecessor but still has a charm of its own and comes without pretensions.

David Spade dons the iconic mullet wig once more and steps back into the acid wash jeans as though no time has passed. He brings with him familiar faces from the original movie such Christopher Walken, Brittany Daniel, Adam Beach and Dennis Miller. It's a comfortable collective and they're all back on board for the sake of it. They know precisely what garbage they're making and they give the exact amount of fucks that I afford the movie – zero. In fact the key to enjoying JOE DIRT 2 lies within the closing credits. Sadly that's an unfortunate point in the proceedings to let the audience in on it, but there's a moment in the blooper reel where David Spade looks down, shakes his head in disbelief and laughs before saying “This is so stupid”. And that's the point. If you give in to the absurdness you might get more from it than others.

The story borrows heavily from THE WIZARD OF OZ, FORREST GUMP, BACK TO THE FUTURE and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE and has Joe Dirt being carried away in his trailer by a tornado. He lands in the year 1965 where his actions have an affect on his future-life. In a desperate bid to make things right and get home he is joined by a guardian angel, who guides him towards the right course.

My God this is a stupid movie. It's absolutely, positively and irrefutably dumb. But it's funny. Of course you will need to have a weakness for puerile humour (be prepared for an abundance of fart gags, dick jokes and innuendos - you know, the good stuff) and an established fondness of the character. Chances are, that if you even contemplate JOE DIRT 2 for a moment, then you're the forgiving type.

JOE DIRT 2 was made for Crackle and with THE RIDICULOUS SIX in tow they are the first two Happy Madison productions to be produced for online streaming services. Factor in the recent SNL movie STATEN ISLAND SUMMER, which was also made for Netflix, and we suddenly have an exciting new home delivery service for this brand of film. These movies are being pumped directly into our living rooms and they're offered freely. That factor grants them some leniency and it also holds the theatrical releases to account.

JOE DIRT 2 suffers from a moronic narrative and its dependency on homage, but it has a heart and it's full of charm. The players look as though they're having a good time and their willingness to embrace the absurdity is infectious. The running time is nice and short, it doesn't over stay its welcome and none of us should feel ashamed to admit it was fun.