Joe lives an idyllic life in the South American village of , where he barters bananas for goods like toys and medicine for the local community. His peace is shattered when a corrupt businessman, Torsillo , attempts to build a factory and a casino on Joe's land.
: Joe is told he cannot get an ID card without a birth certificate, and he cannot get a birth certificate without an ID card. Banana Joe m1080p 1982 ID14349
To protect his home, Joe must obtain a formal trading license from the city. This leads to a series of comedic "fish-out-of-water" adventures as Joe, who is illiterate and lacks any official identity papers, struggles with the complexities of "civilization": Joe lives an idyllic life in the South