Where the Day Takes You (1991)

A group of teen-age runaways try to survive in the streets of Los Angeles. Drugs, prostitution, violence and bureaucratic indifference all pose threats to the kids, who nevertheless prefer ... See full summary »

Director:

Marc Rocco

Writers:

Michael Hitchcock, Kurt Voss

Stars:

Dermot Mulroney, Robert Knepper, Laura San Giacomo

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Laura San Giacomo	...	The Interviewer
Dermot Mulroney	...	King
Robert Knepper	...	Rock Singer
Sean Astin	...	Greg
Balthazar Getty	...	Little J
Will Smith	...	Manny
James Le Gros	...	Crasher (as James LeGros)
Ricki Lake	...	Brenda
Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Heather
Peter Dobson	...	Tommy Ray
Kyle MacLachlan	...	Ted
Nancy McKeon	...	Vikki
Adam Baldwin	...	Officer Black
Rachel Ticotin	...	Officer Landers
Alyssa Milano	...	Kimmy

Storyline

A group of teen-age runaways try to survive in the streets of Los Angeles. Drugs, prostitution, violence and bureaucratic indifference all pose threats to the kids, who nevertheless prefer this harsh life to going back to their families. Heather, somewhat older, provides some leadership and mothering to the kids.

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Plot Keywords:

drugs | runaway | love | prostitution | teenager | 

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Taglines:

No parents. No rules.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for drug use, language and violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 September 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Lei de Cada Dia

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$390,152

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinetel Films,John Cornett & Doc Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Will Smith and Lara Flynn Boyle would work together again in Men in Black II (2002).

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Quotes

Little J: You've got the rest of your life to be an asshole. Why don't you take tonight off?

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Connections

References Psycho (1960)

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Soundtracks

No Surfing in Hell
Written by The Disciples
Courtesy of Jason Sacks
Produced by John Cornett & Jason Sacks
Doc Productions, Topanga Canyon, CA

User Reviews

unsettling study of street kids

This overlooked film about teens surviving on the streets of Los Angeles came and went pretty quickly when initially released. Pity, because it's a film that deserves a wider audience. Within the device of a journalist doing interviews as research for an article on runaways, we're introduced to a band of teens who have formed a defacto family and the various situations they encounter on the street. King(Durmont Mulroney)is the leader and protector of an assortment of kids that include druggie Greg(Sean Astin), Little J(Balthasar Getty), smart-mouthed Brenda(Ricki Lake), and newcomer Heather(Lara Flynn Boyle), whom King takes a shine to. The film follows then through their days of riding boxcars, sleeping under overpasses, and hanging out in public places while avoiding cops, drug dealers, and pimps. While the film downplays some aspects of the streets( the violence and emotional devastation of child prostitution is acknowledged but not conveyed directly), others are show with uncomfortable intensity. For some of these kids, it's a one-way trip down. Sean Austin's fate as the speed-freak Greg is disturbing; the final shot of his character in the film haunted me for days.