Review of Yonkers Joe

I think that Yonkers Joe (2008) is an excellent movie--well acted, well directed, well done! Tom Guiry is not guilty of overacting. He wants to show audiences that, as a person with special needs, he does not belong with his father. At the end of the movie, Joe, Jr. and his father hug, showing their deep love for one another. Joe, Jr. does not belong in his father's world. He has his own world. He has his own friends. In his own world, he can make love as a complete man, and does not have to apologize for his sexual thoughts, feelings, or actions. And, yes, his father is a gambler. Joe, Jr. has enough intelligence and intellect to be aware that his father's world will not give him want he needs and wants. But, his father allows his son to win at something. And, this is a moment of great pride and high self-esteem for Joe, Jr. He is able to show, in a very concrete way, just how much he loves his father. Joe, Jr. can now go into the world with his head held high. He loves his father, and does not care how he makes his living, just as long as he continues to win. Joe, Jr. shows infinite faith and great pride in his father. Joe, Jr.'s father is his son's hero, no matter what, and there is a strong bond between them--so strong that even gambling cannot destroy their resilient bond. In Joe Jr.'s eyes, his father is a giant--and is not a common, ordinary hood. Christine Lahti's supportive performance is as riveting, as the performances of the father and son. Superb! I rank this movie a 10 out of 10.