Joe the King

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Joe the King

R

Released Jan 22, 1999

1h 41m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

68%

Tomatometer

28 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

A teen (Noah Fleiss) with an alcoholic, abusive father (Val Kilmer) and a harsh mother (Karen Young) turns to theft to vent his frustrations.

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Globe and Mail

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 22, 2002

Full Review

Marc Savlov

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 3/5

Jan 1, 2000

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Stephen Holden

New York Times

Rated: 2.5/5

Jan 1, 2000

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Michele James

Out Magazine

Perhaps the most hopeful note in this despondent yet beautifully poignant tale is that Whaley emerged to tell it.

May 27, 2022

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Brian Costello

Common Sense Media

Coming-of-age movie with mature themes, lots of profanity.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 12, 2016

Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Even with warts and all, "Joe the King" is a very worthwhile drama.

Apr 21, 2014

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Shock Therapy R

Excellent character development that led to nowhere. Perhaps a documentary on why people, beginning in their youth, are incompatible with "civilized" society, but absolutely no story that is instructive or inspires thought outside the box within which we all live.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/03/23

Full Review

Steve D

Not sure who this drudgery was made for but it wasn't me.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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James V

Go back and forth on this movie. I like the realistic elements, but that realism also makes it a boring film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

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Audience Member

Noah Fleiss makes a strong impression in Frank Whaley's exceedingly grim coming-of-age film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

*Worst Movie . Im sorry to say but i hated this movie. The supporting characters don't support him or the story. he fails at everything and just winds up in juvy. That's the entire movie.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

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Audience Member

The realistic spanking scene sets the tone of the movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

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Frank Whaley

Director

Noah Fleiss

Joe Henry

Val Kilmer

Bob Henry

Karen Young

Theresa Henry

Ethan Hawke

Len Coles

John Leguizamo

Jorge

Julien Donkey-Boy

29%

72%

Julien Donkey-Boy

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Synopsis

A teen (Noah Fleiss) with an alcoholic, abusive father (Val Kilmer) and a harsh mother (Karen Young) turns to theft to vent his frustrations.

Director: Frank Whaley
Producer: Scott Macaulay, Lindsay Marx, Robin O'Hara
Screenwriter: Frank Whaley
Distributor: Trimark Pictures
Production Co: Lower East Side Films, 49th Parallel Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 22, 1999, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $59.0K
Runtime: 1h 41m

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