An expressionistic coming-of-age story adapted from S.E. Hinton's novel. Rusty James (Matt Dillon) is headed toward a life as a street hood, but he misses the great days when his older brother, Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), was the respected and feared head of the gang. Motorcycle Boy returns suddenly, after an absence of several months, but he seems haunted, unwilling to reclaim his status in the neighborhood. The future looms dark for Rusty James and his dead-end pals. Fishburne plays Midget.