My Name Is Joe is one of director Ken Loachs finest achievements. Its the story of Joe Kavanagh (Peter Mullan), a reformed alcoholic who cant forget that he once hit a woman (as well as many other mistakes that he's made). He is unemployed, but does various odd jobs around Glasgow and runs a fairly hopeless football team. However, his life changes when he meets Sarah (Louise Goodall), a social worker. Mullan embodies Joe and all of his contradictory traits from the get go. The film begins with an AA meeting where Joe is recounting his story to the group. He starts by discussing his initial feelings of denial regarding his condition, and as an audience youre not sure where you are just yet. As he comes around to reality, so do you. He pushes past his denial into admission without much of a reason for the transition, and you realise hes in a meeting talking to people just like him. Its a tough scene setting up an undeniably tough film. The film's title, of course, is a reference to the ritualised greeting performed in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as portrayed in the film's opening scene. My Name Is Joe plays well as both a romance and a portrait of a lonely man coming to terms with the many (many) mistakes he's made.
Jesse Gumbarge is editor and chief blogger at JarvisCity.com - He loves old-school horror films and starting pointless debates. You can reach out at: JesseGumbarge@JarvisCity.com
