7.9
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
Drama • 1998 • 105 min
My Name Is Joe (1998)
My Name Is Joe (1998)
Overview
Ken Loach's 1998 film follows Joe, a recovering alcoholic in working-class Glasgow, who falls for Sarah, a community health worker. The setting is deliberately unglamorous, and the story stays close to the ground, depicting poverty, addiction, and the fragile networks people build around each other when institutions have mostly given up. The Leans Progressive label comes primarily from Loach's signature directorial politics: systemic unemployment and deprivation are framed as societal failures, not personal ones. Moderating that pull is a story genuinely invested in commitment, protective parenting, and stable partnership as goods worth striving for. The film critiques the system while respecting the people inside it.
Starring Cast
Peter Mullan • Louise Goodall • Gary Lewis
Where to watch
Rating & Dimensions
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Political: Strong Left
Diversity: Low
Family Values: Leans Traditional
Viewer Rating
7.9
Overview
Ken Loach's 1998 film follows Joe, a recovering alcoholic in working-class Glasgow, who falls for Sarah, a community health worker. The setting is deliberately unglamorous, and the story stays close to the ground, depicting poverty, addiction, and the fragile networks people build around each other when institutions have mostly given up. The Leans Progressive label comes primarily from Loach's signature directorial politics: systemic unemployment and deprivation are framed as societal failures, not personal ones. Moderating that pull is a story genuinely invested in commitment, protective parenting, and stable partnership as goods worth striving for. The film critiques the system while respecting the people inside it.
Starring Cast
Peter Mullan • Louise Goodall • Gary Lewis
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Primary
Political: Strong Left
Confidence: High
The film explicitly critiques systemic poverty and unemployment, portraying the struggles of the working class with deep empathy and highlighting the societal conditions that perpetuate despair and addiction.
Diversity: Low
Confidence: High
The movie features casting that is traditional and authentic to its specific cultural and geographical setting, without intentional race or gender swaps of roles. Its narrative focuses on personal and socio-economic struggles, rather than explicitly critiquing traditional identities or centering on DEI themes.
Secondary
Family Values: Leans Traditional
Confidence: Medium
The film portrays characters striving for stability, commitment, and protection within their relationships and for their children, with the narrative positively framing the desire for a stable partnership and responsible, protective parenting, despite challenging circumstances.
LGBTQ: N/A
Confidence: High
The film 'My Name Is Joe' does not feature any identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes. Its narrative centers on the heterosexual relationship between Joe and Sarah, exploring themes of poverty, addiction, and social issues within a working-class Glasgow setting.
Trans: N/A
Confidence: High
The film 'My Name Is Joe' does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The narrative centers on the lives and struggles of cisgender characters, specifically an unemployed recovering alcoholic and his relationship with a health visitor, set against the backdrop of working-class Glasgow. There are no plot points or character arcs related to transsexual identity.
Female Combat: N/R
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High
The film "My Name Is Joe" is an original story with characters created specifically for this production. There are no pre-existing source materials, historical figures, or legacy characters whose established gender could have been altered in this adaptation.
Race Swap: No
Confidence: High
The film "My Name Is Joe" is an original screenplay, not an adaptation of existing material or a biopic. All characters were created for this film, meaning there are no pre-established canonical or historical racial portrayals to compare against.
Hinduism: N/A
Confidence: High
Not depicted in the film.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
7.4
7.3
Critic Ratings
8.9
N/A
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