Juvenile Delinquency - It's Up to You

Duration:

Year Published: 1969

Complete Record: Character named Barry Martin is pissed off; his parents have “really messed things up” because they want him to get a job. “It’s not as bad as when they told you to get a haircut,” his unnamed buddy remarks, but Barry’s revolutionary spirit is bummed. “I can’t see why I have to put up with this society,” he says. “If I could only change it.” Barry’s friend nods in agreement. “It’s enough to make a guy crack up. You wind up doing what everybody else wants you to do instead of what you want to do. I’d rather do nothing at all than end up like that.” Right on! Unfortunately for rebels like Barry, the people who made this film weren’t about to let their protagonist reach the closing credits with such an unwholesome attitude. Barry reaches a turning point when he halfheartedly visits his school guidance counselor and emerges with a completely different point of view! Barry’s friend is understandably skeptical. “Go to school, get a job, play the game,” he says. “Sounds like the same old establishment line to me.” But Barry sticks to his new guns. “It’s not as simple as that,” he replies, almost wistfully. “You only sell out when you start letting them do your thinking for you. As long as you do your own thinking you sell out to nobody.” It doesn’t occur to Barry that someone put that idea into his head. Lots of spontaneous interjections such as “outtasight!” and “man!” lend credibility to this film’s characters. Filmed on location in Park Ridge, Illinois, with occasional arty shots of downtown traffic and out-of-focus close-ups of chain link fences.