Joe the King (1999) on Netflix
Fourteen-year-old Joe Henry works at a diner in 1970s upstate New York and steals to cover his father's debts. His father drinks and turns violent, and his mother lives in fear.
- Watch on NetflixThis title is not on Netflix right now. Please check back later for updates.
- Watch on Prime
- Watch on NordVPN
- Netflix3.4/5
- IMDb6.7/103,191 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes67%
Trailer
Plot summary
Joe Henry is fourteen and lives in upstate New York in the 1970s. His father, Bob, drinks heavily and turns violent. His mother, Theresa, is worn down by fear of him, and his older brother, Mike, wants nothing to do with the family's troubles. Classmates taunt Joe, and men his father owes money to come looking for payment. Joe takes a full-time job at a local diner after school, though he is too young to work there legally, and the owners pay him little and treat him badly. Jorge, a co-worker, is the only one who is kind to him. Joe also steals from shops, cars and mailboxes to bring in money. Falling behind in class, he is sent to a guidance counselor, Leonard Coles.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Joe the King (1999)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- John Leguizamo shot his scenes for Joe the King over three days, working between Staten Island and the Broadway theater where his one-man show Freak was being staged.
- Frank Whaley used French New Wave films, especially The 400 Blows, as the main models for Joe the King.
