Joe & Joe

Director: David Wall
Screenwriters: David Wall

Institute History

  • 1996 Sundance Film Festival

Description

Joe & Joe is a quirky, original tale about two guys trying to secure a bigger lawnmower. Strange as it may sound, the film weaves an enchanting mystery around their attempts at enlarging their landscaping business. In a small village on picturesque Cape Cod, the two main characters, both named Joe, live an uncomplicated life of mowing lawns, going fishing, drinking beer, and dreaming of bigger things—namely a sit-down mower. Losing customer after customer to the larger companies, the two Joes fear they may have to look for “real” jobs, a disturbing prospect which makes one of them queasy.

Then the two stumble across a mysterious young woman who spins them a tale involving buried jewels. She suggests they begin their search on the property where they are staying. Although her story keeps changing and her motives are unknown, for lack of any other prospects, they decide to give it a try. With a remarkably low budget, writer/director David Wall manages to combine stunning visuals with charming performances from the actors. A regional film in every sense, Joe & Joe succeeds in conveying a level of honesty between the characters and the delightfully simple way in which they view the world.

— Lisa Viola

Screening Details

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