When Shane's grandfather dies, leaving a small ranch in his will, he hopes that his dream of settling down happily in one place, might come true after all.

[5] Marilyn Halvorson, who wrote the novel the film is based on, criticized Wheeler's screenplay for "shifting the focus away from the teenage protagonist to the problems of the father".

For her part, Wheeler just "shrugged off" Halvorson's irritation with the screenplay, saying she "took the intent of the book seriously", but in her view, the "script has to work for me", and the actors didn't "see any conflict either".

[6] The film premiered in Calgary, Alberta on February 5, 1988, as part of the cultural festival for the 1988 Winter Olympics,[7] and had theatrical screenings in selected other cities before airing on CBC Television in November.

The message is, of course, that feelings need to be expressed, but even in 'a new family drama', there ought to be more content than a single bald statement to the effect that Cowboys Do Too Boo Hoo".