Claimed as a "story of a rock & roll rebel", JOEY misfires on being influentially dramatic, because it's too silly and cartoonish. Which is good, since the 80s teen phase needed some high-enough diversion. This might have sounded like another one of those "afterschool" specials that came on television, but it promises to be amusing. It is also a winning story, as we see a young high-school boy give his best shot at the music scene while struggling with the true father-and-son relationship. The music is a little poor in translation to 80s standards, but they sound as if they're familiar. You might spot a couple of legendary artists in this one, for their benefit in contributing to the "doo-wop" rock category. JOEY isn't bad as teenage fodder, but it might leave you expecting a better movie.
