Joe the King

In the unsettling 1970s, the Henry household in Upstate New York is introduced as a place of anxiety and turmoil. Fourteen-year-old Joe Henry grapples with the constant strain of his father's anger and his mother's paralyzing fears, setting the stage for the family's distressing dynamics.

Joe's older brother, Mike, struggles to balance his protective instincts with his desire to fit in socially. This internal conflict leads him to distance himself from Joe, heightening the younger brother's feelings of isolation and vulnerability amid familial strife.

The family's fragile situation destabilizes further when Bob's repressed rage erupts one evening. This chaos is triggered by the shocking discovery of condoms in Theresa's purse, revealing her secretive life as a prostitute and shattering the family's already strained unity.

In an effort to alleviate his family's financial burden, Joe takes a full-time job at a local diner after school. This decision pushes him into a challenging adult world, where he faces exploitation from his employers, sacrificing his education and personal well-being.

Despite the harsh working conditions, Joe finds an ally in Jorge, a compassionate coworker who defends him against their abusive employers. Jorge's support provides a glimmer of hope in Joe's otherwise bleak reality, offering him some respite from the pressure.

Joe is assigned a guidance counselor named Leonard Coles, who proves to be ineffective in providing the support Joe desperately needs. Coles' careless manner and lack of understanding only deepen Joe's feelings of alienation, making matters worse for the troubled teenager.

Faced with overwhelming poverty, Joe resorts to stealing, driven by a desperate need to help his family. He steals food from the diner and commits thefts from various locations, determined to ease Bob's financial strain and restore Theresa's losses.

Joe seizes an opportunity to break into his bosses' apartment while they are away, motivated by rumors of a locked box filled with cash. This moment of desperation turns into an internal struggle as he faces self-disgust upon seeing his reflection in the mirror while stealing.

After successfully stealing from the apartment, Joe is confronted by Jorge outside the diner, who warns him that he knows about the theft. Instead of betraying him, Jorge offers advice to remain low-key, allowing Joe to reflect on the precariousness of his choices.

With the stolen money, Joe indulges in purchasing music albums that his father had previously destroyed. He hides these possessions and writes a cryptic note for his mother, attempting to reconcile with her despite the chaos around them.

In his concern for Joe, Coles divulges sensitive information to Jerry at the diner about Joe's injury from work. This unintentional revelation sets off a chain reaction that leads to increased scrutiny on Joe's actions and workplace conditions.

The fallout from the revelations leads to Joe's arrest after Jerry contacts the authorities. With his previous actions exposed, Joe is sentenced to six months in a juvenile detention facility, a stark consequence of the desperate choices he made.

In an unexpected turn, Bob shows a moment of compassion while driving Joe to the bus that will take him away. He offers Joe a poignant piece of advice: to learn from his mistakes and avoid falling into the same dark patterns of despair.

As Joe steps off the bus and enters his new environment, he is filled with uncertainty and dread. This closing scene encapsulates the emotional turmoil he faces, marking a new beginning away from his tumultuous family life.