Joey (Robin Williams) was a pure bred S.O.B. He was 100% canine. His first words had to have been "Woof woof!"
To start, he was a car salesman. Car salesmen are just above lawyers and politicians on the slimy profession scale. He was so unconscionable he tried to sell a car to a widow during a stalled funeral procession.
In addition to his profession, he was juggling two girlfriends (one of them was married) and he had an ex-wife. He lied to all of them. You knew he was lying because his lips were moving.
At least one thing in his life was going to change. He was bound to lose his job if he didn't sell twelve vehicles in a day. Even for fast-talking Joe that was going to be a tall task. He was in mid-pitch when his car hustling day was interrupted by a jealous husband coming to the dealership with an AK-47 holding everyone hostage.
This was probably the worst character I've seen Williams play on the ethical meter. He did an excellent job at it and he was funny, but that didn't mean you were going to like him. I still enjoyed the movie. Joey, in all his lying and philandering, still had some humanity. It turns out he wasn't all dog. He genuinely wanted everyone in that hostage situation to be safe, including the hostage-taker (played by Bill Paxton). There was no reason for Joey to stick his neck out for anyone in that dealership, yet he did. It doesn't rectify what he did to the women in his life, but it was a small bit of improvement and perhaps a small step on the road to redemption.
To start, he was a car salesman. Car salesmen are just above lawyers and politicians on the slimy profession scale. He was so unconscionable he tried to sell a car to a widow during a stalled funeral procession.
In addition to his profession, he was juggling two girlfriends (one of them was married) and he had an ex-wife. He lied to all of them. You knew he was lying because his lips were moving.
At least one thing in his life was going to change. He was bound to lose his job if he didn't sell twelve vehicles in a day. Even for fast-talking Joe that was going to be a tall task. He was in mid-pitch when his car hustling day was interrupted by a jealous husband coming to the dealership with an AK-47 holding everyone hostage.
This was probably the worst character I've seen Williams play on the ethical meter. He did an excellent job at it and he was funny, but that didn't mean you were going to like him. I still enjoyed the movie. Joey, in all his lying and philandering, still had some humanity. It turns out he wasn't all dog. He genuinely wanted everyone in that hostage situation to be safe, including the hostage-taker (played by Bill Paxton). There was no reason for Joey to stick his neck out for anyone in that dealership, yet he did. It doesn't rectify what he did to the women in his life, but it was a small bit of improvement and perhaps a small step on the road to redemption.