Memorable, crazy movie

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Back in 1988, before anybody had even *thought* of "The Matrix", "Speed", or even "Bill & Ted", a 23-year old Keanu Reeves got one of his first major parts in a studio movie, and in this Pittsburgh-shot production, he gives what could be one of his best performances ever (certainly better than a lot of the stuff he's been doing lately).The troubled teen (or "post-teen") Rupert is having problems at home, where his controlling father Gary (Fred Ward, "Tremors") is ruining the family-life with his narrow minded approach to everything has already destroyed his own marriage, leading his wife Pam (Bonnie Bedelia, "Die Hard") to have an affair with Gary's best friend Jack (Jeff Hayenga).Rupert wants his mother to have a happy life, and therefore decides to kidnap his father, in order to get him to sell some land he had inherited, and thus get enough money to provide for both himself and his mother (and his younger brother Roger), when they escape the dead-end that is their current home (in Pennsylvania).Rupert has an affair with an older woman (Amy Madigan, "Streets of Fire"), much to the annoyance of her ex-husband Joe (Jay O. Sanders, "The Day After Tomorrow"), who wants Rupert to shape up and clean his act. But Rupert doesn't want to grow up and become a miner like his dad, and tries everything he can to escape being stuck in nowhere.. one of these things being kidnapping his dad.. but who can/will pay the ransom? You'll have to see it to find out..This is a very touching movie, kinda like "Feeling Minnesota"/"My Own Private Idaho", but different.. at least Reeves has a weird haircut in this one, which looks pretty funny.. I give it 8/10, because it's an underrated gem, which really deserves to be seen before it fades into oblivion.P.S: I found my copy on an old used VHS-cassette, but I'm sure there's a decent DVD-release somewhere in the world..

i was 21 yrs old when this film released.never heard of it....on TV,commercial,trailer,TV guide,magazine,editorial,grapevine.whoever was the p.r. firm for this picture should be incarcerated.to this day,(20 years later)i still cant find anyone who has heard of or seen this flick. it's almost as if someone sabotaged its release!!!!!on a snowy Sunday,i flicked on an encore channel(avail thru direct TV sat.)and got lucky.i am male and not a fan of reeves or anyone in film.i love real filming locations, and especially ones in penn.we have the most diverse and beautiful state in the country.from huge cities(pitts&philly)to flat farm land, to mountains(Appalachian,Poconos,blue,Allegheny).my maternal side is from Pitts and I've driven right by that high school on I-79.the plot was comical and the movie was well acted and directed.it held my attn. for entire flick.mining was a big part of my life as a child(my g-pop,uncle m.,uncle Mitch.,all coal miners) i need to buy a copy of this movie for my mom.she was born and raised in pitts.well worth seeing,even if you have to buy it.coal and steel still rule!!!in my mind,at least.i am a little angry that i almost might have died w/out seeing this movie.?????why the 007 on advertising it?mmmmmm.......

Watched this for the first time today. Not sure how I managed to miss it all this time.The film doesn't suffer from the passage of time. Rupert's dress sense is so way out that it doesn't date it. The others in the film dress pretty conservatively (befitting their lifestyles) so you really cant tell by looking that this is a mid-80's movie.I found this film to be thoroughly enjoyable. VERY funny in some parts and poignant in others. Keanu is absolutely adorable (and gorgeous) and very convincing as the weird but charmingly brilliant misfit.Fred Ward's performance also stands out.This film will make you laugh out loud. The story is not too deep and I do worry it will make Keanu bashers think this is the only type of role he can play (as he does it so well). He has every right to be proud of this movie.Great cast, great fun.

What a great movie. Great find at the video store. Keanu Reeves is tremendous and so is Fred Ward. Why do kids rebel. See this and you'll laugh about it. Though 10years old it feels current. Where has this movie been hiding.