Beautiful Joe

Jackknife playwright Stephen Metcalfe's directorial debut is not without its charms, but this straight-to-cable comedy's high quirky quotient distances the audience from its misfit romance. Billy Connolly stars as Joe, a florist and a decent man who yearns for adventure after the double-whammy of his bored wife demanding a divorce and being diagnosed with a tumor. He gets more than he bargained for when he meets Hush (Sharon Stone looking for some indie cred), a con woman and single mom who's in debt to a gangster (Ian Holm). While it's fun to watch the leads in atypical roles, the supporting cast, particularly Gil Bellows as a mobster and Dann Florek (L.A. Law, Law & Order) as a wisecracking bar buddy with an unlikely occupation, are not in their league. This is just an average "joe." Not recommended. (K. Lee Benson)