Being a English movie aficionado has its share of advantages as well as the usual share of snubbings as a freak and what not. As is my usual routine of surfing the movies on the numerous channels on the cable TV’s nowadays, one movie grabbed my complete attention for about an hour and a half.
Being aired on HBO was this movie about a lean lanky man with a very funny hairdo who was just on some sort of talk show on a radio, which I later learnt was something like a RJ. It was a very simple story of a kid who is on a sojourn for his lost parents. The whole film is about the travails that he faces and the way he overcomes them by his sheer perseverance.
The story is of a boy Joe Dirt who is searching frantically for his parents.Unknown to him is that fact he was not lost but actually intentionally abandoned by his greedy parents. Oblivious to this fact he searches for his many parents meeting many wierd characters on the way including his lady love, Brandy. His search takes him from a city(SilverTown?) to the arid deserts ( of Texas ???) and then to a zoo. In spite of all his best efforts success eludes him.
This story of his gargantuan efforts is known to the viewers through a funny quirk of fate. His boss, the one speaking on the radio station in which he works as a handy-man makes fun of him by making him the butt-of- jokes.He makes him the interviewee on his radio show which finally backfires. Though hilarious at first, Joe’s audience are enthralled by his story of sheer perseverance and his sincere true-hearted attempts. His innocence and his efforts make him an overnight celebrity with people desperately praying for the success in Joe’s attempts.
His hypocritic parents find him and reveal the truth that he is their son but then are finally forced to reveal that they abandoned him and did not lose him. Disillusioned with his life Joe decides to end his life but then Brandy comes to his rescue and then they live happily ever after. Joe now has a family comprising of some good-hearted strangers he meets on his journeys.
The best thing about the film is NEITHER its story NOR its hero NOR its comedy. Its the human spirit that finally triumphs in this film. No amount of praise will be enough for the way the makeup of the hero has been done with that really funky hairdo that is simultaneously funny and empathetic. The name DIRT emphasizes on the orphan upbringing of the hero. You cannot but laugh but then also feel sorry for the hero. But then finally you cannot but admire the hard-core optimism of our protagonist JOE DIRT.
Though the movie has this skeleton the best of the movie are the hilarious adventures. Dont miss it!!!