Joe (1970)

a terrific film that is at times hampered by the haphazard pace and lack of a good print. but those are minor complaints, frankly. after an office going square guy murders his daughter's drug dealer boyfriend, he befriends a working class right wing zealot in a bar. they become close buddies who hang out with each other. when the square guy's daughter suspects her father of murdering her boyfriend and disappears, the working class guy goes out of his way to help his new friend.

i liked how the writer did not let his political affiliations get in the way of telling a good story. he does not hit us on the head with how dark these characters are. these are regular guys, in fact, the character JOE (played by PETER BOYLE who if you may recall also gave some advice to the disturbed TRAVIS BICKLE in TAXIDRIVER) is like that plain talking gun toting friend who would stick up for you no matter what the situation is (i have a few uncles like him). sure, he spews racist crap, but he is so much more entertaining than the square wife and the boring office job. here is a man's man you can drink with and go bowling with. i wonder whether the COEN's were inspired by the JOE character while creating JOHN GOODMAN's Walter character in THE BIG LEBOWSKI. at one point when the two right-wingers hang out with a bunch of drug addicts (while searching for the daughter), the film does turn into AMERICAN PIE for a little while. but there is no happy ending here. the final shootout and freeze frame ending were gripping. the young SUSAN SARANDON was so damn pretty.

in this age of alt-right internet celebrities, incels, loneliness and friendships formed over the internet, this film is begging for a remake. or maybe not. 

(8/10)