This raunchy, over-the-top adventure comedy proves that home is your home

Author: Robert Skuch Published 30 seconds ago

Most people I talk to have mixed feelings about David Spade. Not for his comedy, but for his uncanny ability to play the most irritating characters imaginable. Rand McPherson from control unitRichard Hayden from tommy boyand Scott Thorpe from meaningless They’re all some of the creepiest characters in ’90s screwball comedies.

It’s not because Spade is a bad actor. He was so good at playing the “morally dubious asshole” character that people assumed he must be like that in real life. This is the promise of bits. Funny thing is, everyone I know who hates Spade comedies for these reasons loves the 2001 comedy Joe Detpossibly because this time he’s playing a lovable fool rather than a giggly antagonist.

Joe Det Despite a Rotten Tomatoes score of 9%, Spade is the best character in the genre. It’s nice, it’s fun, and he finally gets to play a guy with a heart of gold instead of the punchable asshole that audiences love to hate.

man with mullet on mission

Joe DetThe framework is simple yet effective. Our hero sits down with radio host Xander Kelly (Dennis Miller) to tell the world that he’s searching for the parents who left him in the Grand Canyon when he was eight years old.

After meeting Brandi (Brittany Daniel), one of the kindest people in his life, he settles down for a while, but eventually sets out to deal with his abandonment issues.

At first, Joe became a national joke because of his redneck image and perceived lack of intelligence, but that changed after his story aired. His infectious “life is a garden, dig it” attitude turned him into an unlikely folk hero overnight. Audiences hung on his every word, and even as the truth about his parents came to light, his optimism never wavered.

One laugh after another, most of them fell into place

From his casual chats with inexperienced Native American fireworks salesman Kickin’ Wing (Adam Beach) to his friendship with paranoid gangster Clem Doll (Christopher Walken) in Witness Protection, Joe Det Never run out of quotable moments.

A run-in with Buffalo Bob’s lotion, a flying bowl of chili, and a buried septic tank mistaken for a nuclear weapon all play out as Joe searches for his family and slowly realizes he’s found family in Brandi and his friends. Fortunately, no one stuck him in the face with a branding iron in the end because he was such a light-hearted, likeable guy.

Streaming Joe Dirt

Joe Det This is the most bizarre comedy, and it works because David Spade abandons his smug behavior and embraces sincerity. Behind the cheap jokes and ridiculous premise lies a surprisingly heart-warming story about redemption, identity, finding family and self-worth.

A little sincerity goes a long way Joe Det There are many. It’s not high art, but if you’re looking for a feel-good story about an unlikely hero who refuses to give up, Joe Det Delivered every time.

As of this writing, Joe Det Stream for free on Tubi.