John Patrick Shanley’s Joe Versus the Volcano is a wonderful movie, the sort of project that defies description, and only comes along once in a great while. The fact that this movie was released in 1990 and that I can think of very little to compare it too must count for something. This was a film I watched repeatedly as a teen, but after a recent revisit, I’m struck by the film’s unique sense of heartfelt melancholy, as well as its confidence with balancing various tones and distinct performances. This movie took chances with its narrative, wasn’t afraid to be a bit “out there,” and Shanley still grounded the entire piece with a level of realism that made the plight of Tom Hanks’s character all the more resonant. Shanley is an immense talent, and when looking at his collective body of work as a writer in all mediums, Joe Versus the Volcano stands out even more; it’s truly a piece of entertainment that marches to the beat of its own drum. While critics were mixed at the time, I would like to hope that there’s a lot of people out there who hold this smart, surprising, and extremely funny little gem of a movie close to their hearts, as it’s the sort of work that rarely gets released these days. I can’t imagine how much of a challenge it might have been to market this quirky film back in an era before the internet and large scale media saturation, where you could really pinpoint a niche audience and attack hard. This was yet another charming, offbeat effort that would attract a huge following during the heyday of VHS, and would further cement the star power of rising stars Hanks and Meg Ryan, who would go on to reteam in Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. Stephen Goldblatt handled the peppy cinematography; while Geroges Delerue’s playful score immediately set the mood. The insane supporting cast includes Carol Kane, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Abe Vigoda, Nathan Lane, Amanda Plummer, Ossie Davis, Dan Hedaya. An Amblin Entertainment release.
Podcasting Them Softly 