Joe the King

Parents need to know that Joe the King is a 1999 coming-of-age movie in which the title character, surrounded by alcoholism, abuse, and all-around bad adult role models, turns to stealing as both a way to channel his rage and to try to make things right with those around him. There is child abuse -- the father is an alcoholic who verbally and physically abuses his wife and kids, slapping them in the heads, breaking their belongings, and offering zero emotional or financial support. Joe is spanked repeatedly on his bare rear end in front of the entire class by the teacher when he refuses to humiliate himself by telling everyone that his father is the school janitor. Kids smoke, curse, and scream at their parents, and the adults aren't much better. The movie is set in the 1970s, hearkening back to a time when it was OK for parents to send their kids to the corner store for cigarettes and alcohol and when teachers and guidance counselors could smoke in school hallways without repercussions. As a dishwasher in a restaurant kitchen, Joe urinates all over the food of the bully who beat up his older brother. There is frequent profanity from both kids and adults, including "f--k." A man who works in a restaurant openly brags of the sex he had over the previous weekend. Reference made to a "jerk-off room" and comments on breasts. While a bleak and depressing story, there does seem to be a faint glimmer of hope as the movie goes on -- hope that Joe, who, despite his misbehavior and environment, is a basically good kid who's going to turn his life around.