 A destitute 14 year old (Noah Fleiss) struggles to keep his life together despite harsh abuse at his mother s (Karen Young) hands, harsher abuse at his father s (Val Kilmer), and a growing separation from his slightly older brother (Max Ligosh). Petty thefts for food grow into more major takes until he steals a cash box from the diner where he works. Although Joe uses the money to pay off some of his father s debts and to replace his mother s records that his father smashed in a fit of temper, Joe gets no thanks...