Ebert and Roeper both gave the film a thumbs down. Richard Roeper criticized the film for being too predictable and strained, and said that the radio station storyline was "absurd". Roger Ebert agreed, but praised Spade for taking on a different role than he is normally associated with, and added that Spade's performance was convincing, despite the film's other shortcomings. Ebert included "Joe Dirt" as one of his most hated films of all time under the category of "alleged comedies," stating that "What movies, including "Joe Dirt," often do not understand is that the act of being buried in crap is not in and of itself funny."