Tim Allen is against type here as the meek Joe Scheffer, an AV worker in a giant drug company. He is divorced from his hot wife, passed over for promotions, and ignored by his boss. Then on bring-your-daughter day, he gets beaten up by the office bully Mark McKinney (Patrick Warburton) for a parking spot right in front of his daughter Natalie (Hayden Panettiere).

This puts him in a depressed tailspin. Then when company wellness officer Meg Harper (Julie Bowen) ask him what he wants, he decides that he wants a rematch. In addition, James Belushi plays a martial arts teacher.

It is extremely difficult to see Tim Allen casted so far against type. And he's not helping the matter with his lack of acting. The setting is the wimpiest of suburban and corporate blandness in Minnesota. There's really not much I like in this one except I am a fan of almost every actor involved. Sadly I didn't laugh once.

Bullying is wrong. I think most will agree on this. Many also might really feel what our main character goes through in this movie. Being sidelines, belittled - because he is being taken for granted and he is also being seen as weak, when he is helpful and compassionate. Things that might work for certain people are also things that the majority does not accept (in society). Tim Allen is the right choice for our main guy. You really buy into him being considered weak ... and you also buy into his transformation. But is that really who he wants to be? Is that really who his kid wants him to be? Or the possibly new woman in his life? The movie may be predictable, but it also is quite inspirational too. It's a story you likely know to say the least, but it is very well made and therefor worth a look.

Tim Allen is a very talented comedian, so I feel almost all his movies are worth seeing. So far, the only one I dreaded was "Jungle 2 Jungle." "Joe Somebody" has everything you would expect in a family comedy and the story is predictable. But the point is it's a fun movie to watch and I was quite entertained.

Julie Bowen (from "Happy Gilmore" and TV's "Ed") plays Allen's love interest. God! She's one of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood! I hope to see her in more and more movies. My heart just melts everytime I see her on screen. Jim Belushi is hilarious as Allen's martial arts personal trainer/out-of-work action star. I guess that's an inside joke, spoofing his own movie career...LOL. But I love Jim, he's truly an underrated comic actor. If you want to see him in other funny performances, I suggest you see "Taking Care of Business" and "Return to Me." What did disappoint me was the lack of screen time for Patrick Warburton. He's only in the film for about ten minutes! Warburton is another truly talented comic actor--we all loved him as Puddy on "Seinfeld"--and he's definitely going places. He literally doesn't get to say any funny lines in this movie. That sucks! That's why I'm really, really looking forward to the release of "Big Trouble," also starring Allen and Warburton, where hopefully we'll get to see a lot more of Patrick.

Like most family films, the third act becomes serious and the comedy sags, because this is the point where they're supposed to deliver the "message." And like most family films, the message is delivered in a deliberately corny fashion. I'm sorry, call me a pessimist, but even if you're going to deliver a message there should be a sense of reality to it. "American Beauty" was a film with a message--in fact, a bunch of messages--but it was delivered in a very unpretentious, realistic manner without fearing the audience's reaction.

In the opening of the film, we establish that Allen is a loser. Why? Who the heck knows? But for some stupid reason, everyone around him--whether it's at work or around town--doesn't even bother to acknowledge he exists. He says hello, but no one says hello back. And suddenly, just because he plans on fighting the most hated man in the workplace, everyone thinks of him as a god? Maybe this could happen in the sixth grade. But in an upscale working environment? I don't think so. Even adults can be shallow, but that's ridiculous.

So don't go into "Joe Somebody" expecting to be enlightened or touched in any way. Just go in for the laughs--and if you're a guy, also go in to see the beautiful Julie Bowen. There's an incentive!

My score: 7 (out of 10)