Joe The King

When the deck´s stacked against you, it pays to keep a few aces up your sleeve. Actor Frank Whaley (Swimming With Sharks) makes his writing /directing debut with this unflinching, loosely autobiographical look at Joe Henry (Noah Fleiss), a sensitive but tough working class kid who struggles valiantly to survive the colossal road blocks fate has placed in his path. The star-studded cast features Val Kilmer as Joe´s drunken, abusive father, John Leguizamo as a cynical busboy at the local greasy spoon, Karen Young as Joe´s burntout mom and Ethan Hawke as his inept guidance counselor.

With shattering honesty and unforgettable characters, “Joe The King” will command a permant place in your heart.

Award:

-Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award

at the Sundance Film Festival in 1999.