Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- brooding
- provocative
- oppressive
- serious film night
- independent cinema viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film intelligent, provocative, and sensitive in its treatment of taboo subject matter, with particular praise for its ensemble performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Pastor David Sandow hides his illegitimate son from his church family while trying to preserve his Christian authority.
Elvis’s arrival forces Dave to confront the consequences of his premarital relationship and abandonment.
Elvis pursues Malerie, who is unknowingly his sixteen-year-old half-sister, making incest central to the conflict.
Elvis’s contact with Dave and the Sandow household disrupts the pastor’s carefully maintained family and community identity.
Films like The King, and why
The Reflecting Skin
morally confrontational family drama centered on religious hypocrisy and taboo desire
The Celebration
psychological thriller about destructive family secrets, repression, and moral corruption
Happiness
provocative character-driven drama examining sexuality, guilt, and damaged family relationships
The Apostle
bleak Southern-set drama about religious identity, alienation, and transgressive behavior
Movie Details
- Director
- James Marsh
- Release Date
- 2006-05-05
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (74)
Cast
- Gael García Bernal
- William Hurt
- Pell James
- Paul Dano
- Laura Harring
- Derek Alvarado
- Monica Peña
- Milo Addica
- Hudson Lee Long
- Cliff Stephens
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The King about?
- A discharged sailor infiltrates his estranged pastor father’s family, turning buried religious guilt into a disturbing test of desire and redemption.
- What is The King like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The King as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The King violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The King as mild.
- What did critics think of The King?
- Critics broadly found the film intelligent, provocative, and sensitive in its treatment of taboo subject matter, with particular praise for its ensemble performances.
- Which films are like The King?
- Films with a similar feel include The Reflecting Skin, The Celebration, Happiness, and The Apostle.
- How long is The King?
- The King runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch The King?
- In United States, The King streams on Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel.
