Joe Somebody

2001

Joe Somebody (2001)

TOMATOMETER

21%
13%

Critic Consensus: Amiable, but extremely lightweight and predictable.

AUDIENCE SCORE

27%

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Movie Info

Following their television series Home Improvement and the features The Santa Clause (1994) and Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), the actor/director team of Tim Allen and John Pasquin collaborate once again on this high-concept comedy. Allen stars as Joe Scheffer, a nice guy video specialist for a Minneapolis pharmaceutical company who's plodding through both his thankless job and an unhappy divorce from his ex-wife Callie (Kelly Lynch). When Joe brings his daughter Natalie (Hayden Panettiere) to the office with him on Take Our Kids to Work Day, he's humiliated in a spat with company bully Mark McKinney (Patrick Warburton) over a parking space. It's the last straw for the mild-mannered Joe, who challenges McKinney to a rematch, hires a has-been action movie star (Jim Belushi) to instruct him in martial arts, and pays a stylist to make over his wardrobe and hair. As Joe's image improves and the big day approaches, he finds his new self-respecting stance has positive effects in both the workplace, as he lands a long-overdue promotion, and in his romantic life, as both Callie and a cute "wellness coordinator" (Julie Bowen) start warming up to him. The levelheaded Natalie, however, seems to prefer the previously non-confrontational dad she already loved. Joe Somebody (2001) is the feature debut of screenwriter John Scott Shepherd, who actually worked as a corporate filmmaker in Minneapolis. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Cast

Tim Allen
as Joe Scheffer
Julie Bowen
as Meg Harper
Kelly Lynch
as Callie Scheffer
Hayden Panettiere
as Natalie Scheffer
Jim Belushi
as Chuck Scarett
Patrick Warburton
as Mark McKinney
Greg Germann
as Jeremy Callahan
Ken Marino
as Callie's Boyfriend
Robert Joy
as Pat Chilcutt
James Cada
as Bill
Tawnja Zahradka
as Waver Tawnja
Tina Lifford
as Cassandra Taylor
Ahna Brandvik
as Neva
Wolfgang Bodison
as Cade Raymond
John Riedlinger
as In Crowd Guy No. 1
Bill McCallum
as In Crowd Guy No. 2
Gavin Lawrence
as In Crowd Guy No. 3
Amy Janette McDonald
as Reporter
Emil Herrera
as Singing Exec.
Cristi L. Conaway
as Abby Manheim
Michelle Barnes
as Sharone
Michael Haley
as Bartender
Peter Eric Syvertsen
as Squash Exec. No. 1
Peter Gregory Thomson
as Squash Exec. No. 2
Claudia Wilkens
as Deidre
Jim Labriola
as Guy at Fight
Turner Ross
as Basketball Boy
Bob Aden
as Old Man
Rod Johnson
as Timberwolves Announcer
Shawn Judge
as Woman No. 1
Marquetta Senters
as Linda
Jeff Hopkins
as First Man
Jane Hajduk
as Receptionist
Lowell Sanders
as Guy at Fight No. 2
Rob Cowin
as Guy at Fight No. 3
Sean Grande
as Play by Play Announcer
Jesse Ventura
as Himself
Sarah Agnew
as Well Wisher
Patrick Coyle
as Man in Parking Lot
Cean Okada
as Young Woman
William T. Leaf
as Fruit Catcher
Frank E. Adams
as Fruit Catcher
Kathleen Winter
as Fruit Catcher
Kurt David Anderson
as Target Employee
William Borea
as Muscle Masseur
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Critic Reviews for Joe Somebody

All Critics (86) | Top Critics (23)

Not something to write home about.

Nov 6, 2002 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Top Critic

Has the look and feel of an extended sitcom episode.

Mar 19, 2002 | Rating: 2.5/4
Globe and Mail
Top Critic

While never truly funny or insightful, the movie works intermittently by digging a little deeper than you might expect.

Jan 6, 2002 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic

I'd rather see a whole movie about an aging B-movie actor and forget about all the stuff with Tim Allen.

Jan 3, 2002
Ebert & Roeper
Top Critic

The movie makes smart use of the small-screen big-charm appeal of former Home Improvement star Tim Allen.

Dec 21, 2001 | Full Review…
Toronto Star
Top Critic

Aiming to punch holes in some male myths, John Scott Shepherd's script barely makes contact.

Dec 21, 2001 | Full Review…
Seattle Times
Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (86)

Audience Reviews for Joe Somebody

½

Innocuous romcom trifle with serious underpinnings: how to handle a personal attack at the workplace. Could have gone deep but avoided that for predictable small screen resolutions. Is "it's inoffensive" a recommendation? Ho-hum.

Kevin M. Williams
Kevin M. Williams

Super Reviewer

Saw it in the theater, only one in there. Movie drags, Tim Allen movies have very little mojo but he always give good performances.

Lenny Muggsy
Lenny Muggsy

Super Reviewer

½

Very oddly plotted and thought out, but it has points that make you chuckle, and other points where you want to punch yourself in the face! Both ways are very balanced out, therefore, I sort of liked it I guess!

KJ Proulx
KJ Proulx

Super Reviewer

½

Joe...Schmo. Average, Predictable and half-boring movie. Good cast though

Martin Sahlin
Martin Sahlin

Super Reviewer

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