It's 1937 Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. It's a mining town at the edge of nowhere. Donald Campbell (Kiefer Sutherland)'s father (Peter Donat) had lost his soft drink factory during the Depression. His mother (Liv Ullmann) is keeping the family afloat. His brother Joe is mentally handicap. He's a Roman Catholic altar boy infatuated with Saxon Coldwell (Leah Pinsent). Joe dies. Donald witnesses Saxon's angry dad Sergeant Tom Coldwell (Alan Scarfe) kill his landlord, an elderly Jewish couple. He goes to find Chief McInnes but doesn't tell him about Coldwell. He kisses Saxon's sister Dianna while still in love with Saxon. He is haunted by the murders and in fear of Tom Coldwell. The visiting priest tries to molest him while away and spending the night in the same bed together. He becomes disillusioned with the church.
It's one of Kiefer Sutherland's early roles. He does a fine job. Writer/director Daniel Petrie has filled it with his personal experiences in this semi-autobiographical film. In fact, it's overloaded with them. There are way too many things. It should simply concentrate on the murders and the Coldwells. If it wants to do the priest route, it should limit it to that part and make this a sexual coming-of-age story. Putting them together is too much and doesn't allow each story to develop.
It's one of Kiefer Sutherland's early roles. He does a fine job. Writer/director Daniel Petrie has filled it with his personal experiences in this semi-autobiographical film. In fact, it's overloaded with them. There are way too many things. It should simply concentrate on the murders and the Coldwells. If it wants to do the priest route, it should limit it to that part and make this a sexual coming-of-age story. Putting them together is too much and doesn't allow each story to develop.