Tim Allen is against type here as the meek Joe Scheffer, an AV worker in a giant drug company. He is divorced from his hot wife, passed over for promotions, and ignored by his boss. Then on bring-your-daughter day, he gets beaten up by the office bully Mark McKinney (Patrick Warburton) for a parking spot right in front of his daughter Natalie (Hayden Panettiere).This puts him in a depressed tailspin. Then when company wellness officer Meg Harper (Julie Bowen) ask him what he wants, he decides that he wants a rematch. In addition, James Belushi plays a martial arts teacher.It is extremely difficult to see Tim Allen casted so far against type. And he's not helping the matter with his lack of acting. The setting is the wimpiest of suburban and corporate blandness in Minnesota. There's really not much I like in this one except I am a fan of almost every actor involved. Sadly I didn't laugh once.

Joe Somebody is one of those movies where we're supposed to believe it's a movie for kids based on its PG-rating and do not consider the story, plotting, or events as something that will interest youngsters. I know if I was nine or ten years younger and saw this film, I would've been bored to tears. Its moral-heavy nature, bland ideas, and two-dimensional characters would've been of no interest to me. This is likely why I sought out films like Clerks and Rat Race, instead of Joe Somebody, to find a more exciting source of entertainment. At age six, you couldn't drag me to this film.And thus, I sought it out when I was older for a cockamamie fulfillment on my curiosity's behalf. All I can say is that I've made much worse decisions in my life - much wiser ones too. Joe Somebody is a wholesome, competent exercise in family filmmaking, yet its premise is dull, its drama is lukewarm, its messages/morals are jumbled, and we end on a hokey note with the only thing to truly think about being the asinine, cutesy little "twist" (employing that word loosely).Tim Allen stars as Joe Scheffer, a hard-working everyman who is recently going through divorce, suffering a distinct lack of appreciation at his cubicle-job, despite ten years of employment. One "Take your daughter to work" day he's anxiously going to show his little girl (Hayden Panettiere) the people there, but the problem ensues from when he tries to park in his lot. The spot is taken by a narcissistic oaf (Patrick Warburton), who shouldn't even be parking in the lot because it's reserved for those who have worked at the place for ten-plus years. When Joe tries to confront the man, he is punched twice in the face, being shamed in front of the office and his daughter. Even though it's relatively early in the film, this scene works as we truly sympathize with Joe and his predicament. Can you imagine such a disrespectful, unnecessary blow (no pun intended) to your ego, let alone one in front of someone who looks up to you? The scene, in a loose sense, is kind of heartbreaking.However, sympathy is short-lived and familiarity begins to breed contempt faster than Joe's face returns to white and not red. Desperate for respect, yet too humiliated to come to work, there Joe sits in his home, drinking heavily and bleaching items in his home like a maid with OCD. With motivation from Meg Harper (Julie Bowen), his attractive coworker, Joe decides to get back on his feet, only this time, taking a ramshackle self-defense class taught by Jim Belushi, playing a hack action movie star.What unfolds is a predictable, unmemorable state of affairs involving Joe being taught how to defend himself, conquer fears, and be a more assertive male. There's nothing wrong with this story (when put with a sly writer and a confident director, it could've been quite the time), but what makes the story airless and impotent is the abrupt identity crisis it has with itself during the final act. Joe plans to fight the same idiot that punched him in an open field, which makes sense seeing how he was humiliated and is now being taught to be defensive. But wait; Meg believes it's wrong and Joe is how he is and manipulating your natural personality is wrong.Now we've walked into not only a morality issue, but a thematic issue all together. What moral is Joe Somebody communicating? Is it wrong to fight back in a situation where you've been humiliated and ashamed, or is it right to let everything go? The film shows both in a positive, life-affirming light. So which one do we walk away with? Having a movie go back on its theme is a crucial blow to not only its likability, but also, its purpose.As far as performances go, Allen is okay in his role as Joe, kind of uninspired and rather unremarkable, much like his character, and Bowen's value stems only as her role as a good love interest here. Other than that, performances can't be the saving grace here.Joe Somebody was directed by John Pasquin, who manned the camera in two other Tim Allen projects, those being The Santa Clause (unseen by me) and the loathsome Jungle 2 Jungle. While Pasquin is clearly intentioned on making this a favorable parable, it quickly spirals into predictable situations and uninspired banter between characters who are nice enough to spend fifteen to twenty minutes with, but ninety-eight minutes begins to stretch the line of tolerance.Starring: Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, Hayden Panettiere, Patrick Warburton, and Jim Belushi. Directed by: John Pasquin.

This movie had no storyline or character development.I did not laugh once, although it was meant to be a comedy.It was just a series of random events.There was no climax.The story did not build up to anything.No beginning, no end.I nearly destroyed my DVD player after watching this.This movie was appalling. It is a disgrace to the Western world.Why would Tim Allen stoop so low? Heck if he needed the money, I would've given it to him.

This is an excellent family movie, if you have the disc you will want to watch it a second time in a day or two. It is worth having in your collection, you will want to go back to it time and time again.Tim Allen is lovable and does an excellent performance. Julie Bowen also excellent and lovable. The supporting actors and direction were superb.A great underdog movie turning top-dog with a couple scenes that were stretching the imagination. (please excuse the cliché's they are unavoidable.)To make this review submission-able I have to add this last line. I think it deserves a better score than 5.5