People are voting emotionally.

A Disappointing Continuation

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

It seems to me that almost everyone who writes or directs a movie these days throws gangsters into the potpourri of their films. And I do mean that exact word "throws." This is otherwise a very human scale romantic comedy and drama vehicle very ably acted by Sharon Stone, as a woman in need of rescue from a life lived too close to the edge, and Billy Connolly, a rock of a man beloved by all. They are an unlikely pairing but it works. The jist of their plot is whether Stone's character can finally settle down with a worthwhile guy (Joe) instead of the marginal losers she normally ends up with. Then there is the whole gangster subplot which involves gangsters after both Stone and Connolly with reasoning and results so convoluted that all you can do is groan when they come on screen again. Maybe these movies get financed when the producers hear the word "gangsters." I can come up with no other reason why they are being inserted into every other film I am seeing these days.I was delightfully surprised to see Sharon Stone and Billy Connolly in a movie together. An unlikely match, you say! But the story and plot were superb! Billy has toned down his humor, but it shines through. Sharon was an excellent love interest for him. He plays his role with tenderness, humor, bravado, and extreme likability. She has a role which is not typical for her, nevertheless a good one. I highly recommend watching this movie.danceability-1, Amsterdam Holland

SPOILERS THROUGH:I did not think this was a bad movie but neither did I think it was great. There were a few things I didn't like, one being the amount of plot contrivances. A lot of movies have that aspect but sometimes there's other things that are so well done it kinds of takes the focus off that aspect. Not here. There's a lot that just seems(for lack of a better term: "put on".) And the amount of bad things that keep Cropping up and happening just when one is over with almost makes that the focus of the movie.Then there's the amount of screeching and melodrama. And when Hush and Joe were fighting in the casino how come nobody even batted an eye except the kids? Wouldn't SOMEBODY have told them to be quiet? It's things like that which took away from my enjoyment of this movie. Then toward the end it got really tough. I mean every five minutes something would come up to make it seem like Joe and Hush were finished. After awhile it's tough not to think "Just get together already".The movie is not at all unwatchable. It's not what I'd call bad. But I'd only Give it a 5 or 6 or so for the reasons mentioned above. In terms of positives there were a couple of things that really stuck out. One was Sharon Stone in this role. When she lessened up on the screeching she was excellent and I wish her character had been a little-well-CALMER-because Stone is a really good actress when she's playing quality Roles and I think, though she brought some nice aspects to the role of Hush, she could have brought even more if the role had been toned down a bit.Now the SECOND and most important thing I liked was Billy Connolly as Joe. He created a lovely character and even though I didn't love the movie I did think he did a 10 of 10 in his portrayal of Joe. That was without a doubt the highlight of the movie.I kind of wish this movie had been either a straight out noir with quieter characters, more mystery, and less screaming or a sweet family drama. There seems to have been a lot of potential here because the storyline in general sounds somewhat intriguing. But there was a lot that seemed forced. The movie is not bad but was not great however the character of Joe is one that I'll remember and if one is going to see this movie they should see it for that reason. My vote for the movie overall is about average.

"Beautiful Joe" tells of an irrepressible and likeable Irish florist who learns he has a brain tumor and decides to take a last blast road trip before his possibly fatal surgery. He falls in with and falls in love with a gambling woman with a checkered past and some troublesome underworld connections. With all the ear marks of a low budget indie, "BJ" moves from one sentimental moment to another with enough heart to make its journeyman execution easy to overlook. A fun but raggedy little romantic comedy which is as easy to like as it is to criticize. (C+)

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsAn intriguing casting decision to pit Sharon Stone and Billy Connelly together in one film,but still,Beautiful Joe is really not a winner.It runs for 94 minutes for what feels like 994,and there's a ametuerishly cliched feel to it,which feels very strange.Every major star seems dispensable in the movie business,and when names like Stone and Connelly would have drawn huge box office crowds as early as about 5 years ago,they're appearing in the equivelent of cable TV movies nowaday.Stone's still as great a sexy slut today as she's always been,but you really only need to admire the cover for that.**