Nicolas Cage has earned a recent reputation for picking up paycheck roles, of imbuing his wild energy into projects not entirely deserving of his skills, such as Drive Angry or Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. That’s why his back-to-basics turn in David Gordon Green’s Joe comes as such a relief: The actor seems energized by his role in the indie, and he delivers a highly praised performance that’s unambiguously his best work in years. Cage plays an ex-con who strikes up an unexpectedly paternal bond with young teen Tye Sheridan, and you can see that relationship start to take shape in this exclusive scene where Cage recruits the boy to join his band of “tree poisoners,” a gig that will earn Sheridan the money that his drunk father can’t be counted on to supply himself. Press play for a look at the film, out April 11 in theaters and on iTunes/VOD.
