In a modified form (flying parallel with the runway, just below circuit height, just on the deadside and turning onto a crosswind join) it's far preferable to a straight-in approach to an uncontrolled field because you can see other traffic and sequence yourself onto downwind. Straight-in approaches always seem to bu&&er-up someone on base (that should have been given way to).
Do that
at circuit height and it's a standard mil. join - which is definitely my favourite, but everyone needs to be singing from the same hymnsheet. From that position you can do an overhead join in 90% of cases* and still see everyone's position &c.
Tim
*the remaining 10% being those where CAS or activities such as para dropping get in the way!