OUT ON THE EDGE

US, 1989, 96 minutes, Colour.
Rick Schroder, Mary Kay Place, Richard Jenkins.
Directed by John Pasquin.

Out on the Edge is yet another film about alienated youth and families unable to cope. It is reminiscent of Hugh Hudson's more ambitious Los Angeles film, Lost Angels.

The film has the echoes of many telemovies of the '20s and '80s as well as memories of such films as Rebel Without A Cause. Rick Schroeder (formerly Ricky Schroeder) graduates in this film from juvenile roles in such films as The Champ, Earthling, Little Lord Fauntleroy. During the '80s he had appeared in a number of telemovies as a growing teenager. He does well as the alienated son of Mary Kay Place, unable to
cope with her son and committing him to an institution (engineered by an insurance society). The film shows the double standards of many people involved in trying to help alienated youth as well as the idealism and helplessness of those who are sincere. It also highlights some of the techniques, especially psychodrama, for therapy for
youth.

Worth looking at and discussing for a picture of tensions in family.

1. Picture of alienated youth, American society? Universal problems? Institutions and therapy?

2. The film as telemovie, appealing to a wide audience? Picture of Los Angeles, homes and offices, the hills, institutions? Musical score?

3. The telemovie style for the home audience, treatment of issues, dramatisation? Audiences identifying?

4. Rick Schroeder's portrayal of Danny Evans: appearance, love for his bike, the dare on the bills, the friends (and their drugs), his love for his mother but their clash, her inability to communicate with him, his hostility towards Wayne, idealising his father? Yet his father not giving him any time? Springing the question of the remarriage? His ringing Melissa and distance from her? Reliance on his sister? The fights with his mother, not going to school, trying to see his father? The insurance question and the psychological interview, the talk, his mentioning the suicide plan and the way that the company acted on it? Being taken to the institution, the rules and playing ping-pong, in solitary, the authority figures, his stances against his mother? Going to the group? His advocate, talking with her? The encounters with Lonnie, Lonnie's desperation, his attempted suicide and saving him? Kerry and his friendship with her? The interviews with the mother, wanting Wayne outside? His father's visit and refusal to release him? The escape attempts? The build-up to the psychodrama, his participation, acting out his feelings towards his father? Leaving with Kerry, the police, the hilltop, confronting everyone, his father's reaching out and relenting, Kerry and her appeals? His being saved?

5. His mother, the divorce, the fights with Danny, her reliance on Wayne for the job, relationship with him? Going out, her angers, the insurance man and the psychological interview? Putting him in an institution? Whose problem? Seeing the psycho-drama on video? The appeal to Paul?. Her reflection on the marriage and the family? The end?

6. Wayne and his presence, the fights with Danny, the accusation about the drugs, moving out of the therapy, decision to leave?

7. His father and his absence, too busy, friendship with Susan, remarriage? The visit and not taking him away? The psychodrama, his weeping? His helping his son with the bike at the end? Possibilities?

8. The sketch of his sister, her help and understanding, the end?

9. The picture of the inmates at the institution, their abiding by the rules, their problems, group work therapy? Lonnie and his low opinion of himself, the attempted suicide? Kerry, her family, her father, supporting Danny, challenging him to speak out, leaving with him?

10. The picture of the staff, the authority figures, insurance fraud? The sympathetic staff, the antagonistic staff? The psychodrama? Lyn as advocate, the effectiveness of her sessions, Danny's trusting her, her wise advice for
the parents, the psychodrama and watching it? Her challenging the authorities?

11. An ordinary story of an American city? Problems and their causes? The pain of youth? The pain of parents? Possibilities of help, therapy, hope?