Joe’s Apartment Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A naive guy moves to New York and becomes best friends with singing cockroaches who help him thwart a senator’s evil plan to build a prison, mostly through synchronized swimming in a toilet.

🍿 Joe’s Apartment: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Joe Moves to NYC and Finds an Apartment

Joe, fresh out of college in Iowa, arrives in New York City with dreams of finding an affordable apartment and a good job. He quickly discovers that NYC is much tougher than he anticipated, getting mugged repeatedly. He ends up in the East Village, a neighborhood known for its high crime rates and ridiculously expensive, dilapidated apartments. He can only afford $100/month.

Finding a Rent-Controlled Gem (and Many Roommates)

Through a chance encounter with Walter Shit, a performance artist, Joe learns about rent-controlled apartments – a relic from the past where rent is frozen at incredibly low rates. Serendipitously, the elderly tenant of the last rent-controlled apartment in a condemned building dies, and Joe, with Walter’s help, manages to take over the lease. The apartment is disgusting, but it’s affordable. Unbeknownst to Joe, he’s not alone; thousands of talking, singing cockroaches call this place home.

Cockroach Camaraderie and Community Gardens

The cockroaches, led by the charismatic Ralph, initially scare away thugs sent by a corrupt senator who wants to build a prison on the land. They do this to protect their new, slovenly roommate, Joe, who provides them with a steady supply of food. Joe befriends Lily, the senator’s daughter, who is working to create a community garden on the vacant lot surrounding Joe’s building. He tries to impress her but his new roommates and the thugs keep getting in the way.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Joe (Jerry O’Connell): A naive and penniless college graduate who moves to New York City and unwittingly shares his apartment with thousands of talking cockroaches.
• Ralph Roach (Billy West): The charismatic and wisecracking leader of the cockroach colony who becomes Joe’s unlikely friend and protector.
• Lily Dougherty (Megan Ward): A compassionate community garden activist and Senator’s daughter who falls for Joe and his quirky situation.
• Senator Dougherty (Robert Vaughn): Lily’s scheming father and a corrupt senator who wants to build a prison on the land where Joe’s apartment and the community garden are located.
• Walter Shit (Jim Turner): An eccentric artist who helps Joe find his rent-controlled apartment and serves as a cynical guide to New York City life.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Ralph Roach: “Don’t give a crap!” – Ralph’s dismissive attitude when Joe first moves in, showcasing the roaches’ carefree nature.
• Walter Shit: “Two days, seven hours, twenty-three minutes and four seconds. That’s how long I’ve been lying here.” – Said by the performance artist Walter Shit when Joe finds him pretending to be dead in the street, highlighting the absurd humor.
• Joe: “Oh, my god! Mister, are you alright?” – Joe’s naive reaction to Walter Shit lying in a pool of blood, demonstrating his innocence in contrast to the city’s cynicism.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $13,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $4,619,014
• Worldwide Gross: $4,619,014

💥 Joe’s Apartment Reviews

Personal Review

I remember watching this as a kid and being both grossed out and strangely entertained. The singing cockroaches were definitely memorable, and there were a few scenes that had me laughing out loud. It’s definitely not a movie for everyone, but if you’re into bizarre comedies, it’s worth checking out. I still find myself humming ‘Funky Towel’ sometimes, which is either a testament to its catchiness or a sign of something deeply wrong with me.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of bizarre comedies”
  • “People who enjoy cult films”
  • “Viewers who appreciate gross-out humor”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Crude humor”
  • “Gross-out scenes”
  • “Insect imagery”
  • “Suggestive dialogue”

Professional Reviews

• Rotten Tomatoes: “A thoroughly bizarre and often repulsive comedy, Joe’s Apartment is a swing-and-a-miss effort to turn a gross-out premise into a full-length feature, proving that some ideas are best left as short films. Despite some creative visuals, the movie largely fails to engage or amuse.
• AllMovie: “An extremely odd film that is bound to offend some viewers while pleasing others with its sheer audacity. The musical numbers are surprisingly well-staged, and the voice work for the roaches is excellent, but the overall experience is a bit too weird for mainstream tastes.
• Timeout: “The roaches steal the show with their musical numbers, but the human characters are largely forgettable. Despite some moments of inspired lunacy, the film ultimately succumbs to its own inherent silliness, making it a challenging watch for anyone with even a mild aversion to bugs.

Audience Reactions

The musical numbers are surprisingly catchy and creative, especially the ‘Funky Towel’ scene.: Many viewers found the movie funny and original, despite its bizarre premise and gross-out humor.

The voice acting for the cockroaches is top-notch, bringing a lot of personality to the characters.: Fans appreciate the film’s unique blend of comedy, music, and gross-out moments, even if it’s not a masterpiece.

Overall Consensus: Joe’s Apartment is a divisive movie that some find hilarious and original, while others find it disgusting and pointless. It’s a cult classic with a dedicated following, but it’s not for everyone.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Joe’s Apartment originated as a short film that aired on MTV in 1992.”
• “The CGI cockroaches were created using technology similar to that used in Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Jurassic Park.”
• “Several actors from the movie voiced the cockroaches including Billy West who is best known for his voice work on Futurama.”
• “The movie was filmed in Newark, New Jersey, not New York City.”

🖥️ How to Watch Joe’s Apartment?

As of today, you can find ‘Joe’s Apartment’ available for purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. While it’s not typically available for subscription-based streaming, keep an eye on these platforms as availability can change. Check your local cable provider for on-demand options as well.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Joe’s Apartment, you might like these similar films:

• Eight Legged Freaks (2002): A town is invaded by spiders who are exposed to toxic waste, but this is more on the sci-fi side than Joe’s Apartment.
• Arachnophobia (1990): Also features people being attacked by spiders. This leans on the horror side and also has a comedic element.
• Gremlins (1984): Deals with creatures causing havoc, similar in tone, despite dealing with roaches.
• Howard the Duck (1986): A Marvel adaptation about a duck who moved to earth. The movie has comedic moments but flopped with critics.

🛒 Joe’s Apartment Related Products

• Joe’s Apartment [Blu-ray]: Own the cult classic on Blu-ray for enhanced viewing pleasure. Experience the singing cockroaches in high definition and relive the bizarre humor of this unique film.
• Funko Pop! Movies: Cockroach Vinyl Figure: A Funko Pop! figure of one of the iconic singing cockroaches from Joe’s Apartment. Add this unique collectible to your Funko Pop! collection and show your love for this cult classic.
• Joe’s Apartment Movie Poster: A high-quality print of the original Joe’s Apartment movie poster. Decorate your home with this eye-catching poster and show off your appreciation for this offbeat comedy.
• The Art of Exterminating: A Practical Guide to Pest Control (Inspired by Joe’s Apartment): While Joe embraced his roach roommates, this book offers a more practical approach. Learn effective strategies for pest control in a humorous, movie-inspired context.

🎧 Soundtrack

Joe’s Apartment features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Joe’s Apartment Theme” – performed by Mel Tormé & the Roach Chorus
• “Funky Towel” – performed by The Roach Chorus
• “Kitty Cat Rodeo” – performed by The Roach Chorus

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Joe’s Apartment (Original MTV Short)

Did you know ‘Joe’s Apartment’ started as a short on MTV? This is the original, and it’s pretty cool to see how it all began. Check it out!

Joe’s Apartment – Funky Towel (Cockroach Musical) (HQ)

Okay, the cockroach musicals in ‘Joe’s Apartment’ are seriously iconic. ‘Funky Towel’ is a total bop. You’ve GOT to see it!

Joe’s Apartment (1996) The bathroom scene

This is a clip from one of the bathroom scenes where they use objects to make music. It’s a really nice short video.

✨ Rate