Its plot follows a troubled and rebellious teenage girl living in the Pacific Northwest with her dysfunctional mother and alcoholic father.

Cindy "Cebe" Barnes is a rebellious adolescent tomboy being raised by her heroin-addicted mother, Kathy, in rural British Columbia.

Cebe finds escapism in idolizing musicians such as Elvis Presley, Sid Vicious, and Johnny Rotten, and spends time alone in her father's wrecked semi-truck, which has been left abandoned on her family's property.

Eventually, Cebe is apprehended by police as a runaway minor, and is evaluated by child psychologist Dr. Brean, who returns her to the care of her mother.

Don is released from prison on probation after five years of incarceration, and returns home, where Kathy unsuccessfully attempts to regroup their family.

In the truck, Cebe lights the wick of the dynamite, which she has hidden in the dashboard, and assures her mother it is only an electrical fuse from the wreckage.

[5] Out of the Blue was shown in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1980,[6] a screening during which critic Rex Reed wrote was met by "boos, catcalls, and general nausea by shocked audiences who still cannot believe what they have seen.

"[10] A review in the British publication The Guardian deemed the film an "accomplished dissection of fractured redneck family life," and declared Manz's performance as "stunning.

The website's consensus reads, "Led by Linda Manz's outstanding performance, Out of the Blue confronts the darker side of human nature with a baleful, clear-eyed stare.

[19] It subsequently toured the United States in early 2022, with screenings at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles,[20] Duke University's Arts Center,[21] Vancouver's Polygon Gallery,[22] and the Hollywood Theatre in Portland, Oregon.

[23] The song "Kill All Hippies" from Scottish rock band Primal Scream's 2000 album XTRMNTR features a sample of Manz' dialogue from the movie.