MovieChat Forums > Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) Discussion > Why I enjoy this movie so much

Why I enjoy this movie so much

posted 16 years ago by davbot
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Actually, it is not due to Tom Hanks and Meg Rayn (two of my favorites) leading the cast. The story reminded me too much of my own life. Joe Banks goes in to a job that he hates every day and somehow manages to get through the day (except for the day the movie begins). I've dragged myself to work on many days and been quite depressed.

My biggest problem with this movie was the ending, which suggested that Joe and Patricia just drifted on those pieces of luggage until they found another island and lived there for the rest of their lives. Maybe there could have been a more "final" ending that set the two of them up somewhere in civilization.

[–] randomlynx 16 years ago

I actually never assumed they'd just float to another island. Always imagined that from that point on, with Joe's new outlook on life, that life would start working out for him and he'd finally be happy and no longer focus on the glass being half-empty. Whether that means finding an island and living there or being rescued (I mean, it is an island that her father wanted to mine so you would assume ships would come by at some point) - whatever happened at that point on, Joe had gone to the next (and happier) chapter in his life.

One interesting thing about this movie which actually makes me enjoy it more, the writer tried to convey his own near-death experience with this film. The original screenplay had a different ending, and perhaps it was meant to end differently, but the message of the film is sweet and it has some truths I think we should all have a chance of learning for ourselves.