Cry-Baby Synopsis & Summary

Synopsis

John Waters does a quirky spin on '50s nostalgia in Cry-Baby, his musical homage to Rebel Without a Cause and Romeo and Juliet. Set in Baltimore in 1954 at the birth of rock & roll, the film features Johnny Depp as Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker. Depp is pure charisma as a juvenile delinquent with a permanent tear slithering down his cheek, a reminder of his state-executed parents. In the depths of his despair appears goody-goody girl Allison (Amy Locane), who has a sexual crush on Cry-Baby. But Allison's Pat Boone-like boyfriend, Baldwin (Stephen E. Miller), the leader of the squares, is dead set against Cry-Baby and the rest of the juvenile delinquents and leads a revolt against them. In the resultant riot, the juvenile delinquents are blamed for the chaos, and Cry-Baby finds himself dispatched to reform school. - Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Movie Info

Theatrical Release Date:
04/06/1990
DVD Release Date:
07/12/2005
Run Time:
85 min.
Distributor(s):
Universal
Production Co.:
Imagine Entertainment, Universal
Director(s):
Genre(s):
Themes:
Feuds, Eccentric Families, Star-Crossed Lovers, High School Life
Tone:
Campy, Upbeat, Quirky, Raunchy, Satirical, Silly, Goofy
Keywords:
angst, biker, charm [personality], forbidden-love, friendship, high-school, juvenile, love, rockabilly-music, romance, school, talent-show, teenagers, townspeople
Country of Origin:
USA (04-06-1990)
Time Period:
1950s
Language:
English
Status:
DVD