Apparently filmed at the same time as Risky Business in Chicago and complementing it with a dank, dark and humourless grittiness. Directed by Rick Rosenthal from a script by Richard Di Lello. Sean Penn leads as a mostly nonspeaking underage crim sent to juvie. Ally Sheedy has the thankless task of being his girlfriend. Adversary Esai Morales gets implausibly sent to the same dormitory and the inevitable occurs, right down to some unlikely and singular character and/or moral growth. Clancy Brown's feature-film debut (!) and he does not take enough care with his head. Eric Gurry's underage geek has the most fun, albeit of a sociopathic, us-or-them amoral kind that is difficult to enjoy.
Roger Ebert: three stars. Janet Maslin: brutal. Both agree the first half is somewhat promising and the second half squanders that promise.