Joe Versus the Volcano is annoying. In a good way.

Predictable and even goofy at times, Joe manages not to alienate its audience with witty dialogue and promising comic performances.

Tom Hanks plays Joe Banks, a former firefighter who now works in a dingy surgical instruments firm's advertising department.

After Joe finds out he has a "brain cloud," a terminal ailment, he escapes his pathetic existence and tells off his boss in a way that would make any upstart proud.

Joe and the film take an upbeat turn from here, as gazillionaire Mr. Graynamore (Lloyd Bridges) offers Joe all the money and pampering he can stand in exchange for one small favor. Mr. Graynamore wants to exploit mineral resources on a tiny Polynesian island and the islanders expect a human sacrifice to the volcano every 100 years. Joe must jump into the volcano.

Director / writer John Patrick Shanley uses color contrasts to illustrate the loser life Joe leads at the film's outset. The factory is black, and the path leading to the ominous front door is sharply twisted. To show the transition from lifeless pulp to vibrant spender, Shanley uses primary colors and bright hues. Changes in dress and even manner are most striking. Overnight Joe goes from worn loafers and blase no-name clothing to a sharp Armani tux.

This is the turning point in the film. The film has its funny sparks, but the "new" Joe is funnier and more likable. Hanks is effective as both a daft loser and a revitalized man. His comic timing is impeccable, as his handling of Joe's simple mindedness. Hanks shows shades of his Big performance, giving Joe many childlike attributes.

Meg Ryan plays three different characters, all to hilarious ends. As Dede, the shy, slow-witted secretary in Joe's office, Ryan hides her smarts with joyous results. As Angelika Graynamore, the pampered rich kid, Ryan's Valley girl accent and manner are just enough short of monotonous to be a scream. Her Patricia Graynamore is the most stable, and unimaginative, of her characters, but Ryan even makes Patricia interesting.

Ryan and Hanks play off each other well, with Ryan also displaying superb comic timing.

Joe also has plenty of slapstick and ridiculous jabs. An odd assortment of characters include a bizarre luggage salesman who seems to worship his merchandise. The title's volcano, into which Joe must jump, is located on a Polynesian island where the people have a strange fetish for orange soda. These islanders even wear the emptied cans as part of their wardrobe.

To an extent, this kind of humor was annoying with its predictability, but Shanley has the presence not to over do it. Shanley is also careful to be wholly outrageous with the bits he does add, which makes it easy to stomach.

The film tries to emphasize the importance of adhering to an age-old philosophy: Stop and smell the roses. Joe only tries to "live" after he finds out he will soon die.

Shanley juxtaposes Joe's eye opening with Joe's replanting of a flower squashed by a zombified factory worker. The final outcome, a la Disney, is a bit hokey, but it reaffirms Shanley's optimistic attitude toward life.

Joe Versus the Volcano does not dazzle with special effects, or wow with Academy Award caliber performances. It is just an enjoyable viewing experience that your average Joe would enjoy.