A 2013 American independent crime drama film directed by David Gordon Green, following a Texas ex-con (Nicolas Cage) who hires a 15-year-old boy (Tye Sheridan) while also protecting him from his abusive father (Gary Poulter).
The cast also includes Heather Kafka, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Brian Mays, Sue Rock, Sam Velasquez, Adriene Mishler, Dana Freitag, and Anna Niemtschk.
It was released on August 30, 2013.
Tropes in the film:
- Abusive Parents: Wade is this to Gary, as he is shown hitting his son after they get fired and taking his money so that he can get more alcohol.
- Bookends: The movie starts with Gary getting a job to spread poison on trees so that the company can tear the trees down and it ends with him getting a job planting new trees, replacing the ones that were being destroyed.
- Character Death: Joe dies of his injuries after confronting Wade, who then leaps to his death.
- The Film of the Book: Based on the 1991 novel of the same name by Larry Brown.
- One-Word Title: Joe.