fedor8 "My name is Joe. I am short, not so young anymore, and possibly not too attractive. Did I mention unemployed and an AA member? That, too. However, even I deserve a better bint than the one the director gave me; you know, Ken Cockroach, the commie left-wing radical anarchist anti-capitalist. You've heard of him, haven't you? He made all those bad anti-Thatcher movies about the poor, oppressed working-class that live in very grey, awful industrial environments in which even rats think twice before settling in. He also made some rather pro-IRA films. As all commies, he loves terrorists and psychopaths and treats them as victims in his films. Well, this Ken gave me an ugly, anorexic, flat-chested sad old cow as a partner and I am even supposed to be more in love with her than she is with me! How unfair. Me and everyone else in this movie talk in ultra-thick Scottish accents so that we had to release this movie in the U.S. with subtitles. Shite to that." I would never have watched this movie had I paid attention to who directed it, although given even the first ten minutes I should have guessed. I strictly boycott Loach's movies, much the same as with Branagh's and Spike Lee's pieces of filmic garbage. But, half-way through the movie I started thinking "who the hell makes these kind of working-class-in-gloomy-environments films" and since I could rule out Mike Leigh who does this sort of thing very well - and with a good dose of humour - I checked the movie catalogue, and sure enough it was the Cockroach, Ken Loach. My God, I thought, I might as well now finish the film; I didn't sit through half the movie to abandon it. Anyway... Roach's style is very forced "oh it's gotta look and sound so real and streetwise and the actors must act casually as if improvising rather than learning lines". Cockroach can't do this well: Leigh is vastly superior in this, and his characters and dialogues far better. Hardly any of the characters one can either care for nor identify with. So what if Joe's nephew the dope addict gets threatened and then hangs himself? Low-life junkies like his wife: who cares about this woman, or even their probably semi-moronic child? Who gives a toss about a woman who gets annoyed when Joe buys her a ring - and not even a wedding ring, mind you - for absolutely no reason at all? Plus, it's all rather predictable.For an even more unpopular IMDb comment, check out my "Pride & Prejudice" review (0 out of 783).

saskia-sch I finally got the DVD today in the mail, so I could watch this film. Now I'm from the Netherlands and my English is pretty good, but my Scottisch is not so good (thank god for the subtitles lol). But, I did get the general message, which is pretty global. What Joe is dealing with, trying to stay sober and creating a good life for himself and his "family". Its very recognizable.The acting was brilliant, and very very honest and realistic. There just aren't enough films like these. One's with REAL stories to tell, real life stories. What is so wrong with watching reality? Normal life is hard enough, and its OK to show that. We don't always have to see all the glitter and glamour of Hollywood.People go see this film, if I had ten thumbs, I would give him ten thumbs UP.Thank you Mr. Mullan and all the others working on this film for this beautiful honest film.

alba-7 I was living and working in Scotland when I was asked by the "American Women's Club" (of all people) to be in a movie by Ken Loach. I had no direct connection to this "club". My wife (who also had no connection) had been approached by members. Ken Loach was looking for Americans as if we were some specially dressed and outrageous lot. I was wearing a green L.L.Bean fleece (as I always did in Scotland because of the weather) in the scene filmed at Rest-and-be-Thankful. Peter Mullin, who played Joe in the film was at the tea wagon. I was down below with my "wife", another American, near the Mini selling Scottish stuff. The one scene took all day to shoot. I was paid 60 quid. Saw the film in Paisley with next door neighbors who were Scottish. They thought it was very depressing. So did I. Glasgow has its problems. It is still considered the most horrible place in Scotland. As far as drug culture and drug related crime goes, Edinburgh is probably worse! Glasgow will always get the bad rap compared to the "Capitol". That is because Edinburgh wants to get the biggest cut of American tourist dollars. Glaswegians joke about whether they require a passport to visit Edinburgh. They also say "Ah... Edinburgh... the music... the humor... the castle... well, one out of three isn't bad! So Americans, continue to visit Edinburgh only. Warnings to hold onto your wallet. It is thick with thieves, as are the bad parts of Glasgow. As for this movie, and most of Ken Loach's movies, he always tries to make a case against the status quo and blames the British society as a whole. Margaret Thatcher, in Ken Loach's eyes, is the devil for every misfortune that befell British society for the past 25 years or so. Good movie but take it with a grain of salt. Ken Loach and his propaganda, is Britain's equivalent to America's Noam Chomsky.

erwan_ticheler POSSIBLE SPOILERSKen Loach is famous for his social drama's like BREAD AND ROSES.He uses situations that do not occur in "Normal" films.MY NAME IS JOE is not different.Loach has become one of my favorite directors and that's not only because I'm very "left" but also because of his ability to create intense drama. In this film Peter Mullan plays Joe,a retired alcoholic who's trying to create a life worth living for by coaching a dubious football team.The leading actress is Louise Goodall who plays Sarah,a woman working at the local hospital.They get involved but it is not meant to be since Joe's life is falling apart.The acting is really intense.Peter Mullan gives a remarkable performance as Joe and Louise Goodall is as good playing Sarah.The two leading actors take the other players in their slipstream. Ken Loach usually uses unexperienced actors and actresses,probably to enhance the reality level of the film.This works perfectly in MY NAME IS JOE,it is so realistic that's it's almost frightening.The climax is very intense,Mullan's desperation gave me the chills.Playing someone desperate is very hard,Mullan's intense performance is right up there with Takashi Shimura's brilliant acting class in Kurosawa's best movie IKIRU.Ken Loach directs the movie as a spectator,thus enhancing the reality.The humor is very crude as it should be,there's not much to laugh in this poor situation that Loach is projecting us.But one must remember that it's the real world. Ken Loach succeeds flawlessly in showing us this world.In a way it looks quite a lot like the world of TRAINSPOTTING which also takes place in the Scottish suburbs.One of the most intense drama's ever made. 9/10 (currently number 90 in my all time top 100 list)