Joe Henry, the 'Joe' of the title, is a very troubled 14-year-old. His father is the school janitor, a deep-in-debt alcoholic who has no love for his two sons. Joe's Mom is a mess, trying hard to hold the family together only to find it slipping apart. Joe's older brother tries to help, but it's hard enough for him to keep his own head above water. So Joe is alone; drifting through a white trash sub-culture where the avenues to a 'straight' life are blocked and those to the criminal life are wide open. Where will it lead?
For-pay critics have denigrated the autobiographical screenplay as self-pitying and whining. I didn't see it that way. Self-centered, sure; just think about the title. It's all about Joe, by Joe. And isn't self-pity an emotion closely associated with the teen years? And to be honest, Joe deserves a little self pity; his life is crap. And this comes across very strongly in the film. It's effective and believable, helped by good screenwriting, direction and acting. Joe the King is not a great movie, but nor is it as mediocre as the critics described. I enjoyed it.
For-pay critics have denigrated the autobiographical screenplay as self-pitying and whining. I didn't see it that way. Self-centered, sure; just think about the title. It's all about Joe, by Joe. And isn't self-pity an emotion closely associated with the teen years? And to be honest, Joe deserves a little self pity; his life is crap. And this comes across very strongly in the film. It's effective and believable, helped by good screenwriting, direction and acting. Joe the King is not a great movie, but nor is it as mediocre as the critics described. I enjoyed it.