Danny Evetts (Rick Schroder) has his motorcycle, his youth and his whole life ahead of him. But underneath the cool, 17-year-old swagger is a lonely boy screaming for love. It never used to be that way--before the divorce.... more » Feeling more and more isolated, Danny becomes hostile. His mother, Sondra (Mary Kay Place), is alarmed by her son's behavior. Danny is caught with some drugs a friend persuaded him to keep, causing a shouting match between him, Sondra, and her boyfriend.
The next night Danny's father, Paul (Richard Jenkins), announces that he's getting married. Danny runs away, gets drunk, and is arrested. Under pressure from her boyfriend, Sondra commits Danny for observation into a psychiatric hospital for youths.
Danny's only hope comes from his developing trust with the on-site counselor Lynn (Natalia Nogulich), who is able to draw out the source of his anger which exposes his father's lack of paternal guidance. Stunned, Paul realizes what he has unintentionally done to his son and hopes it's not too late to help him.
Unaware of his parent's intentions, Danny runs away. Seething with rage and self-destruction, Danny takes his motorcycle and heads for a tower he used to visit with his father. Just as Danny plans to jump over the edge, Sondra and Paul arrive with the police. But are they too late?« less