On the Edge of Innocence
Encyclopedia
On the Edge of Innocence is a 1997 television drama film
directed by Peter Werner
. It stars Kellie Martin
as a manic-depressive teenager.
), a manic-depressive 17-year-old teenager, constantly gets in trouble with her friends including Ann (Clea DuVall
) due to angry outbursts caused by her refusal to take her medicine. One day, she skips school to hitchhike to San Francisco, California
to visit her father at a piano concert. When the guy giving her a drive attempts to undress her, she screams and leaves the car, running back home where her mother Victoria (Karen Young
) expresses her concern over her absence. In response, she runs away home to a nearby carnaval, where she winds up dangling from a Ferris wheel. Her concerned mother decides that now something has to be done, and commits her daughter to a mental institution. Meanwhile, somewhere else Jake Walker (James Marsden
), another 17-year-old teenager, has difficulty respecting authority as well, even though he was raised by two forward, highly successful parents, one of whom is a respected lawyer, David (Terry O'Quinn
). When he is not sleeping around with girls, Jake spends his day running away from the cops because of misdemeanors. One night, after a concert, he is arrested by the police and the judge advises for Jake to be in a juvenile facility. Preventing these hard measures to be done, David commits his son to the same mental hospital for a period of one month.
From the beginning, Zoe is pessimistic about her stay, feeling she does not belong in the institution. Nonetheless, she befriends Ally Winthrop (Lisa Jakub
), a teenager who suffers from anorexia nervosa
and constantly gets caught messing with her charts. When she is caught once again, Jake takes the blame and immediately becomes Ally's limelight, unlike for Zoe, who thinks that Jake is a low-life punk and rejects every attempt of him to get to know her. During her stay, Zoe meets the other patients, including the gay
son of a military Luke (Jamie Kennedy
), an extremely aggressive young man with family issues Timothy 'Trader' (Vince Vieluf
), and a teenager who still has imaginary friends Sammy (Joshua Jackson
).
During their stay, Zoe takes off her shield and grows closer to Jake. Ally notices this, and acts out by throwing up her dinner, for which Zoe apologizes. Nonetheless, Zoe and Jake soon kiss, but are caught by counselman George Beaumont (Sullivan Walker
), who reports the situation. Zoe and Jake are both informed that any emotional involvement with other patients is bad for their progress, and that they should not see each other any longer. They are put in other wards, but are able to meet without the guards noticing, with the help from their co-patients. Chief Barbico (Kevin Dunn
) opposes to the romance, though Dr. Sharon (Olivia Birkelund) feels that two people filled with hatred opening up to each other could help them recover. Dr. Sharon's theory seems to be confirmed when splitting them up becomes the cause for continuing outbursts, one of them including Jake trying to strangle his visiting father for having an affair. When Sharon arranges a meeting between the two, Barbico fires her on the spot and orders the teens to say goodbye. Instead of listening, Jake threatens Barbico with a knife, and is able to escape the institution with Zoe, Ally, Luke and Timothy.
Whereas Ally is caught by the police, Zoe & Jake and Luke & Timothy split up after accidentally shooting a security guard who attempted to hold them. In a diner, Zoe and Jake find out that Timothy was arrested after returning to the scene of crime. Instead of following his steps, they steal a car and hit the road. A stop at her father (Ronald Guttman
) for help to escape to Mexico proves unsuccessful, as he turns her into the police. Zoe and Jake leave with her father's wallet before the cops arrive, but are almost killed on the road when Zoe drives dangerously upon noticing that Jake is flirting with another woman. She attempts to apologize after her outburst, and then runs to a deserted carnaval because of Jake's lack of understanding. He follows her and finds her climbing in the Ferris wheel. Promosing her a future with him, Jake convinces her not to jump and get off safely. Afterwards, they voluntarily return to the mental institution, believing that they will still be with each other after treatment.
wrote regarding the film: "Martin is convincing as an alarmingly mercurial personality, but this melodrama is less interested in characterization than in screaming matches, desperate clinches and breathless chases."
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Peter Werner
Peter Werner
Peter Werner is an American television and film director.In 1977, Werner won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for directing the short film In the Region of Ice.Since then he worked on primarily directing television amassing a number of television film credits namely Mama Flora's...
. It stars Kellie Martin
Kellie Martin
Kellie Noelle Martin is an American television actress who is known for her roles as Rebecca Thacher on Life Goes On, Christy Huddleston on Christy, Lucy Knight on ER, and Samantha Kinsey on Mystery Woman.-Early life:...
as a manic-depressive teenager.
Plot
Despite being a straight A student, Zoe Tyler (Kellie MartinKellie Martin
Kellie Noelle Martin is an American television actress who is known for her roles as Rebecca Thacher on Life Goes On, Christy Huddleston on Christy, Lucy Knight on ER, and Samantha Kinsey on Mystery Woman.-Early life:...
), a manic-depressive 17-year-old teenager, constantly gets in trouble with her friends including Ann (Clea DuVall
Clea DuVall
Clea Helen D'Etienne DuVall is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Sofie on the television series Carnivàle as well as for films such as The Faculty , Girl, Interrupted and The Grudge .-Early life:DuVall was born in Los Angeles, California, the only child of Rosemary and...
) due to angry outbursts caused by her refusal to take her medicine. One day, she skips school to hitchhike to San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
to visit her father at a piano concert. When the guy giving her a drive attempts to undress her, she screams and leaves the car, running back home where her mother Victoria (Karen Young
Karen Young (actress)
Karen Young is an American actress.Born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, Young studied at Rutgers University. After graduation she moved to New York City and became an actress, appearing in such films as 9½ Weeks, Jaws: The Revenge, Daylight, Mercy and Hoffa. Her ex-husband is Tom Noonan...
) expresses her concern over her absence. In response, she runs away home to a nearby carnaval, where she winds up dangling from a Ferris wheel. Her concerned mother decides that now something has to be done, and commits her daughter to a mental institution. Meanwhile, somewhere else Jake Walker (James Marsden
James Marsden
James Paul Marsden is an American actor, singer and former Versace model. He is known for playing the superhero Cyclops in the first three X-Men films and for his roles in other commercially successful films such as Hop, Superman Returns, Hairspray, Enchanted, The Box, and 27 Dresses.-Early life...
), another 17-year-old teenager, has difficulty respecting authority as well, even though he was raised by two forward, highly successful parents, one of whom is a respected lawyer, David (Terry O'Quinn
Terry O'Quinn
Terry O'Quinn is an American actor, most famous for playing John Locke on the TV series Lost. He made his debut in a 1980 television movie called F.D.R.: The Last Year. Since then, O'Quinn has had minor supporting roles in films and TV movies such as Young Guns, All the Right Moves, Silver Bullet,...
). When he is not sleeping around with girls, Jake spends his day running away from the cops because of misdemeanors. One night, after a concert, he is arrested by the police and the judge advises for Jake to be in a juvenile facility. Preventing these hard measures to be done, David commits his son to the same mental hospital for a period of one month.
From the beginning, Zoe is pessimistic about her stay, feeling she does not belong in the institution. Nonetheless, she befriends Ally Winthrop (Lisa Jakub
Lisa Jakub
Lisa Jakub is a Canadian-American actress, best known for her roles in Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day.-Early life and career:...
), a teenager who suffers from anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Although commonly called "anorexia", that term on its own denotes any symptomatic loss of appetite and is not strictly accurate...
and constantly gets caught messing with her charts. When she is caught once again, Jake takes the blame and immediately becomes Ally's limelight, unlike for Zoe, who thinks that Jake is a low-life punk and rejects every attempt of him to get to know her. During her stay, Zoe meets the other patients, including the gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
son of a military Luke (Jamie Kennedy
Jamie Kennedy
James Harvey "Jamie" Kennedy is an American comedian, rapper, and actor.-Early life:Kennedy, the youngest of six children, was born in Upper Darby Township, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family is of Irish descent and he was raised Roman Catholic. He attended and graduated from...
), an extremely aggressive young man with family issues Timothy 'Trader' (Vince Vieluf
Vince Vieluf
Vincent Ernest "Vince" Vieluf is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in Rat Race and the short-lived UPN sitcom Love, Inc....
), and a teenager who still has imaginary friends Sammy (Joshua Jackson
Joshua Jackson
Joshua Carter Jackson is a Canadian American actor. He has appeared in primetime television and in over 32 film roles. He is best known for playing Charlie Conway in The Mighty Ducks film series, Pacey Witter in the television series Dawson's Creek and Peter Bishop in the television series...
).
During their stay, Zoe takes off her shield and grows closer to Jake. Ally notices this, and acts out by throwing up her dinner, for which Zoe apologizes. Nonetheless, Zoe and Jake soon kiss, but are caught by counselman George Beaumont (Sullivan Walker
Sullivan Walker
Sullivan Walker is a Trinidadian actor who has played numerous small and recurring roles on television shows since the early eighties...
), who reports the situation. Zoe and Jake are both informed that any emotional involvement with other patients is bad for their progress, and that they should not see each other any longer. They are put in other wards, but are able to meet without the guards noticing, with the help from their co-patients. Chief Barbico (Kevin Dunn
Kevin Dunn
Kevin Dunn is an American actor who has appeared in supporting roles in a number of films since the 1980s. His roles include Colonel Hicks in the 1998 version of Godzilla, Sam Witwicky's father in Transformers, and Oscar Galvin, the primary antagonist in the 2010 action thriller...
) opposes to the romance, though Dr. Sharon (Olivia Birkelund) feels that two people filled with hatred opening up to each other could help them recover. Dr. Sharon's theory seems to be confirmed when splitting them up becomes the cause for continuing outbursts, one of them including Jake trying to strangle his visiting father for having an affair. When Sharon arranges a meeting between the two, Barbico fires her on the spot and orders the teens to say goodbye. Instead of listening, Jake threatens Barbico with a knife, and is able to escape the institution with Zoe, Ally, Luke and Timothy.
Whereas Ally is caught by the police, Zoe & Jake and Luke & Timothy split up after accidentally shooting a security guard who attempted to hold them. In a diner, Zoe and Jake find out that Timothy was arrested after returning to the scene of crime. Instead of following his steps, they steal a car and hit the road. A stop at her father (Ronald Guttman
Ronald Guttman
Ronald Guttman is a Belgian actor, theatrical producer and film producer.Guttman was born in Uccle. He has appeared in TV shows such as Lost, Lipstick Jungle, Heroes, The West Wing, and Sex and the City. He had a recurring role as Alexander Cambias, Sr...
) for help to escape to Mexico proves unsuccessful, as he turns her into the police. Zoe and Jake leave with her father's wallet before the cops arrive, but are almost killed on the road when Zoe drives dangerously upon noticing that Jake is flirting with another woman. She attempts to apologize after her outburst, and then runs to a deserted carnaval because of Jake's lack of understanding. He follows her and finds her climbing in the Ferris wheel. Promosing her a future with him, Jake convinces her not to jump and get off safely. Afterwards, they voluntarily return to the mental institution, believing that they will still be with each other after treatment.
Cast
- Kellie MartinKellie MartinKellie Noelle Martin is an American television actress who is known for her roles as Rebecca Thacher on Life Goes On, Christy Huddleston on Christy, Lucy Knight on ER, and Samantha Kinsey on Mystery Woman.-Early life:...
as Zoe Tyler - James MarsdenJames MarsdenJames Paul Marsden is an American actor, singer and former Versace model. He is known for playing the superhero Cyclops in the first three X-Men films and for his roles in other commercially successful films such as Hop, Superman Returns, Hairspray, Enchanted, The Box, and 27 Dresses.-Early life...
as Jake Walker - Karen YoungKaren Young (actress)Karen Young is an American actress.Born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, Young studied at Rutgers University. After graduation she moved to New York City and became an actress, appearing in such films as 9½ Weeks, Jaws: The Revenge, Daylight, Mercy and Hoffa. Her ex-husband is Tom Noonan...
as Mrs. Victoria Tyler - Lisa JakubLisa JakubLisa Jakub is a Canadian-American actress, best known for her roles in Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day.-Early life and career:...
as Ally Winthrop - Jamie KennedyJamie KennedyJames Harvey "Jamie" Kennedy is an American comedian, rapper, and actor.-Early life:Kennedy, the youngest of six children, was born in Upper Darby Township, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family is of Irish descent and he was raised Roman Catholic. He attended and graduated from...
as Luke Canby - Vince VielufVince VielufVincent Ernest "Vince" Vieluf is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in Rat Race and the short-lived UPN sitcom Love, Inc....
as Timothy 'Trader' Wells - Terry O'QuinnTerry O'QuinnTerry O'Quinn is an American actor, most famous for playing John Locke on the TV series Lost. He made his debut in a 1980 television movie called F.D.R.: The Last Year. Since then, O'Quinn has had minor supporting roles in films and TV movies such as Young Guns, All the Right Moves, Silver Bullet,...
as Mr. David Walker - Olivia Birkelund as Dr. Sharon
- Sullivan WalkerSullivan WalkerSullivan Walker is a Trinidadian actor who has played numerous small and recurring roles on television shows since the early eighties...
as George Beaumont - Jessica HarperJessica HarperJessica Harper is an American actress and producer, as well as a singer and author of children's music and books.-Early life:...
as Mrs. Alice Walker - Ronald GuttmanRonald GuttmanRonald Guttman is a Belgian actor, theatrical producer and film producer.Guttman was born in Uccle. He has appeared in TV shows such as Lost, Lipstick Jungle, Heroes, The West Wing, and Sex and the City. He had a recurring role as Alexander Cambias, Sr...
as Mr. Joseph Tyler - Kevin DunnKevin DunnKevin Dunn is an American actor who has appeared in supporting roles in a number of films since the 1980s. His roles include Colonel Hicks in the 1998 version of Godzilla, Sam Witwicky's father in Transformers, and Oscar Galvin, the primary antagonist in the 2010 action thriller...
as Dr. Barbico - Joshua JacksonJoshua JacksonJoshua Carter Jackson is a Canadian American actor. He has appeared in primetime television and in over 32 film roles. He is best known for playing Charlie Conway in The Mighty Ducks film series, Pacey Witter in the television series Dawson's Creek and Peter Bishop in the television series...
as Sammy - Clea DuVallClea DuVallClea Helen D'Etienne DuVall is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Sofie on the television series Carnivàle as well as for films such as The Faculty , Girl, Interrupted and The Grudge .-Early life:DuVall was born in Los Angeles, California, the only child of Rosemary and...
as Ann - Keili Lefkovitz as Cheryl
- Heath Lourwood as Griffin
- Johnny StrongJohnny StrongJohnny Strong is an American actor, musician and martial artist. He is best known for his roles in Black Hawk Down and The Fast and the Furious as Leon. Aside from acting, Strong is also the founder of the band Operator.-Biography:Strong was born in Los Angeles, California...
as Squeamich - Stephanie Allen as Gabriella Lewis
- Maclovio Perez as TV Anchor
- Lee Magnuson as Dr. Xavier
- Ken Kerman as Beach Patrol Cop
- Christine Renee Miller as Cindy
- Jim Cody Williams as Hippy Store Clerk
- Vince Grant as Mr. Penn
- Holly Martin Riddle as Cashier
Reception
People MagazinePeople (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
wrote regarding the film: "Martin is convincing as an alarmingly mercurial personality, but this melodrama is less interested in characterization than in screaming matches, desperate clinches and breathless chases."