The film was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television but lost to Brideshead Revisited.

Danny Caldwell is an angry small-town teen whose father, Frank, has been laid off and can't find a decent job.

So, Danny and Frank are frequently at odds and, as a result, the teen indulges in a lot of trouble including criminal mischief and petty theft.

However, due to subsequent events that happen while Danny is incarcerated, he ends up spending six weeks in jail on assault charges.

His parents realize the mistake of leaving their son in jail, and tell the people in the courtroom that they really need to change how they treat children that come to them.