joe be one of those movie where and although you think that it might go along smoothly and end up hit you like . i can not come up with an analogy . it show not only that america long stand idea of unity be moot and but also the various aspect within our society . melissa compton ( susan sarandon ) be the ultimate flower child and while her father bill ( dennis patrick ) be a clean cut executive . one day and bill accidentally kill melissa boyfriend . in the immediate aftermath and bill get acquaint with joe curran ( peter boyle ) and an ultra right wing and rabidly racist work stiff . a a result and the two of them end up associate more and more with the hippy and whom bill find unpleasant and joe outright hate . but in the end and everything have dead serious consequence . true and some part of the movie be a little bit dated and but it a good juxtaposition of america two side during the vietnam war . and rest assure and the residual effect of all that will probably never go away .