Tss5078 Following the unexpected success of Winter's Bone in 2010, these dark, modern, noirish type films have been all the rage in Hollywood. In fact, these types of films have come to define the 2010 generation of film. Mostly set in rural areas, focusing on the lives of less fortunate people, these films tend to focus on some life defining moment. King Jack certaintly fits this model, and much like Winter's Bone, it is also a coming of age story. Jack (Charlie Plummer) is an angry fifteen year old, who has been bullied his whole life and acts out by getting in trouble. After a family issue, his younger cousin Ben (Cory Nichols) is forced to stay with Jack and his family. At first Jack is upset to be saddled with his naive younger relative, until he comes to realize they're in the same boat, and in Ben he may have found a potential ally. I understand that the premise of the movie is that Jack is a bullied kid, befriends another bullied kid, and all of a sudden their lives don't suck as much anymore, except that they do. Just because they found each other doesn't mean the bullies have gone or that their family situations will necessarily be any better, so what was the point? Watching this film, was simply watching a couple of teenagers hang out in a bad neighborhood, waiting for something substantial to happen. A few events happen here and there, but nothing life altering, and certainly nothing to base a film off of. To be honest, the whole thing was kind of boring. In general, I love this new style of film making, but when it came to King Jack, there were a couple of crude jokes, some anti-climatic scenes, and just a whole lot of nothing going on.

Reno Rangan Like everyone who saw it said a surprise film from a debutant writer, director. It is a powerful title, but the film was different. Like it focused to tell the story of a teenager named Jack who is regularly picked to bully by some older guys from the school. The film opened with a payback act by Jack, but soon they get him back. This time it gets more serious than ever, and how it ends comes in the latter half of the film.This is a short film and a good screenplay too. Initially I did not like much, it looked like another same old themed teen film. But the second half of the film completely changed, especially about bullying and how others see it, apart from the victim and offender. An awareness film, though the end drawn as what a cinematic storytelling required than the social message.The kids did well, particularly Jack, Ben and a few others. There's no obscene materials, but in a sequence it gets bold like how normal teenagers are obsessed with those stuffs. That does not mean it is bad for them to watch. It is a much better film on this theme, and gets better while progressing narration. It is one of the under noticed good film of the year. It's not a must see, yet worth giving it a try.7/10

ekeby I went into this expecting something really good from the high Netflix rating. What a disappointment. This might be a realistic-looking slice of life, but we don't experience much that is truly original or valuable. It's kid-on-kid violence (emotional and physical) and not much more. Life can be brutal but I don't particularly want to watch it, unless, of course, it's great art. The Japanese masterpiece The Human Condition (Ningen el Joken) is a trilogy of films that depicts the worst aspects of human brutality, but you can take it because you are also aware that you're experiencing something profound. With King Jack I watched a kid get bullied and then finally learn to "take it like a man." It's trite and frankly a little disgusting.The film wants to impart a message of some kind. I think the scene at the very end is supposed to be seen as a happy ending. We're to believe Jack has evolved emotionally and overcome--or started to overcome--unbelievable obstacles in his life. It feels flimsy and tacked on and I didn't buy it.I understand why many people liked this film. It has a seductive quality, the actors are good, and the action looks real. And it's pitched as an art movie. But it isn't a good one. If you were sucker punched into liking this movie, I can only suggest you expand your cinematic horizons to find out how much you've been missing.

Steve B This movie features the kid (Charlie Plummer) from "Granite Flats" (TV Series), where he did a brilliant job as a nerdy very polite kid. - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2624370/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_6 But, as fantastic as he was in Granite Flats, I couldn't help but wonder if this kid was a One Trick Pony. That is, is the nerdy kid all he can play.After watching "King Jack", I can assure you this kid is NO One Trick Pony. His performance in King Jack was brilliant. I expect very good things from him in the future.The movie itself, which I found very enjoyable, was short of perfect. But I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves Indie Film.A dark story about a kid trapped in poverty, in a less than desirable neighborhood, with a family which I will generously describe as dysfunction, and his struggle to simply endure.Charlie Plummer is an actor to keep an eye on as I expect very good things for him in the future.