Prison for Children

Yet another TV film that attempts to shed light on a pressing social issue(juvenile offenders and the facilities that are supposed to protect and rehabilitate them)but instead exploits it's more tawdry side. A teenage boy who perpetually runs afoul of the law is sent to a youth home for boys where intimidation, stabbings, and gang rape are the norm. Perhaps John Ritter conned himself into believing that making this film might actually make a difference(he's the new superintendant of the school who tries to pass reforms), or maybe he was just trying to pay the rent between THREE'S COMPANY and HOOPERMAN. No intimidation-in-the-shower scenes that I can recall, and no graphic violence(all the rapes and what-not are performed off-camera). Still, the very mention of these things in a boys' home(and all the homosexual overtones)must have been pretty risque, even in the eighties. A companion film to BORN INNOCENT.

Moving story about boys, who didn't do anything wrong from their point of view, are trying to break out of prison where they're supposed to stay until they reach the age of 21! WOW! Life imprisonment even before actual life has begun? Yes, it seems to exist. Later on in the move a somewhat slow (or autistic) older boy is incarcerated as well... But the last one won't make it outside. It is heartbreaking to see a young boy longing for freedom so bad can't make the breakout...even though he's convinced he didn't do anything wrong! He's even being punished harder than when he came in... My sympathy went out to the boy who was left behind...

This movie toys with your emotions! If you can keep your eyes dry with this TV flick, you'd have the personality of a fridge!