A film based on Tobias Wolff's much-praised autobiography about his troubled youth.



Caroline Wolff, divorced and with no job prospects, takes her son Toby on an aimless journey across America. They stop for a while in several towns, where Caroline gets involved with different men, but they always end up back on the road, running -- until Caroline meets Dwight Hansen, a military man whom she believes will bring stability to their lives and help raise Toby.

But Dwight proves to be a sadistic dictator, determined to impose a rigid and cruel discipline on Toby. When the boy finally cannot take it anymore, he looks for any escape... even if it means he'll have to fight Dwight to get out.