This is a great film. When I saw it when I was around 12, it made me petrified of ever going away to a juvenile prison. I think since I saw it, I've always thought twice before doing something stupid. The director gets such tremendous performances out of the actors, that it doesn't seem at all like the viewer is watching a film, but a documentary. In fact, these great performances go all the way through the credits, when Sean Penn is crying and the guards lead the others prisoners to their cells after the climatic fight scene. To just single out Sean Penn's great performance would be a travesty to all of the others. The musical score is very sad and moves the film along always at a poignant pace.
