This film is about a boy named Tobias Wolff (Leonardo Di Caprio) who goes through troubling times while he is growing up in the 50s. Being a teen is hard enough, but Tobias also has to face life without a stable home. Although he is constantly blaming his mother for leaving his father, he knows that it isn't her fault. His father was the one that left them.

He is moved from city to city along with his mom, Caroline (Ellen Barkin), who dreams of having a "better life." After moving to Seattle, his mom decides to marry Dwight Hansen (Robert De Niro), who seems to be the perfect husband...at first. Tobias soon finds out his stepfather's act of being the "perfect suitor" was just a mask. Dwight is unnaturally strict and selfish, and does everything in his power to make Tobias's life a living hell. Just when Caroline thinks she has escaped the feeling of loneliness and insecurity of Tobias's future, she realizes she trapped herself into yet another obstacle.

The little "side" plots besides Tobias's wretched homelife involves Tobias acting like a normal teenage boy--which involves basketball and hanging out of cars with a bunch of friends. A little surprising scene is when Tobias is kissed on the cheek by one of his "supposedly" straight guy friends, and Tobias doesn't even flinch!

The fact that Tobias tries to be good, makes this movie worth watching. He gives 110 percent in everything he does, but his stepfather is always there to mess things up. It makes you want to rip Di Nero's character apart!

There isn't much heartfelt or nostalgic comedy in this film, and
I think it's exactly what this movie needs. Tobias isn't having a lot of fun, and maybe the screen writer doesn't want the audience to have a grand time either. :)

Of course, what is the use of a movie set in the 50s, without a good soundtrack? Unfortunately, this movie didn't catch on. It had so much soundtrack potential, but instead, the scenes were wasted. The only decent classic hit was "The Summertime Blues."

If this film edited out some of the useless "R" rated material, this could of been a good, TV-based movie. It probably would of been a bigger hit on the smaller screen, rather than the silver screen.

Rated: R

Warner Brothers

Cast/Credits:

Robert De Niro .... Dwight Hansen
Ellen Barkin .... Caroline Wolff
Leonardo DiCaprio .... Toby
Jonah Blechman .... Arthur Gayle
Eliza Dushku .... Pearl
Chris Cooper .... Roy
Carla Gugino .... Norma
Zachary Ansley .... Skipper
Tracey Ellis .... Kathy
Kathy Kinney .... Marian
Bobby Zameroski .... Arch Cook
Tobey Maguire .... Chuck Bolger
Tristan Tait .... Jerry Huff
Travis MacDonald .... Psycho
Richard Liss .... A&P Manager
Michael Bacall .... Terry Taylor
Adam Sneller .... Terry Silver
Gerrit Graham .... Mr. Howard
Thomas Kopache .... Geiger Counter Vendor Lee Wilkof .... Principal Shippy
Sean Murray .... Jimmy Voorhees


Directed By: Michael Caton-Jones
Written By: Robert Getchell, Tobias Wolff
Produced By: Art Linson