Good movie but grossly overrated

Fresh and Exciting

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

In what looks like the Los Angeles area, pot-smoking hot blond Rick Schroder (as William "Billy" Maloney) steals a car and gets caught by the cops, while skuzzy pal David Anthony Marshall (as Louie) escapes by dumpster diving. After a year in reform school, Mr. Schroder is granted probation. He goes home to live with poor widowed mother Carrie Snodgress (as Rosemary) and older brother Brad Pitt (as Joe "Joey" Maloney), a high school track star aching for a Stanford scholarship...Screw-up Schroder is enrolled in a (nicer) high school on the other side of town, due to some program set up with the reformatory. This sets up the storyline as the brothers may eventually face-off "Across the Tracks" on opposing track teams. Apparently, Mr. Pitt did not get long well with his kid brother, and gives him a really hard time. Schroder has sweaty nightmares and must resist strong lures to return to his delinquent lifestyle. Mother Snodgress loves both of her sons with all of her heart...This story of sibling rivalry takes a long time to get off the ground as the opening acts do little to make it convincing. Schroder and Pitt do not initially impress as brothers. Pitt employs some obvious "high school gosh" for his characterization; with a good tail wind, his bangs threaten to win the race on their own. Surprisingly, considering their subsequent acting reputations, Schroder is the one who builds-up some believability, minus the partying. Turnabout is fair play, in brotherly love and acting.****** Across the Tracks (1991) Sandy Tung ~ Rick Schroder, Brad Pitt, Carrie Snodgress, David Anthony Marshall

I thought this film was great, it is a simple and emotional story based on two brothers, who both happen to be good looking and great actors. I really like Rick's performance in this and think he looks gorgeous! Overall a great film and of course not forgetting Brad Pitt, who is always excellent! I definitely recommend this film if you are a fan of either Pitt or Schroder, or just want to chill out with a nice film (especially if you are female).

Joe Maloney (Brad Pitt) is an all-star runner on his high school track team. Billy Maloney (Rick Schroder) is a troubled youth who is in with the law, and about to be kicked out of the family. Trying to be a good older brother, Joe asks Billy if he wants to run with him in the mornings before school. Billy gives it a shot, and much to everyone's surprise turns out to be quite a little runner. Joe convinces Billy to try out for his schools track team (Billy is in a different school because he's caused too much trouble in previous ones) and it's a good thing he does, because that sets up the rest of the movie. It's a pretty cliché tale of everyone struggling but overcoming their inner demons at just the right moment. Carrie Snodgress does do a great job as the mom who refuses to move on from the point where her husband died. Overall, I'd say it is worth a shot; you won't learn anything new but you will feel better about yourself and life around you. As a last thought, the only problem I had was that as soon as the protagonist made the decision to change they didn't have to face the past. So the movie was a little fantastical that way, but that can be pretty easily overlooked. Rating: 24/40

The snappiest thing about this film is the title. Two American teenage brothers, one a swat and a goody two shoes on the athletic track, and the other a rebellious delinquent (born on the wrong side of the tracks, get it?), end up at the same school after bad boy Billy (Rick Schroder) gets a second chance after a spell at a Borstal.Members of Billy's delinquent melee try to reclaim him for the bad side, but we all know that is not going to happen. Joe, the elder brother (Brad Pitt), is trying for a scholarship to a prestigious university by running a faster race than anyone else. This is where the story falls apart.Brad Pitt has by far the more convincing physique. Rick Schroder is good looking enough, provided he stops slicking his blond locks back with a cartload of grease, but he is no athlete. The clever cinematic device of dressing him in black shorts and shirt for the running sequences cannot hide the flab. The slow motion sections (a la Chariots of Fire) only accentuate this.Watch this if you want to see obviously twenty-something year olds trying to be school kids; if you enjoy folk belting round the running track; if you want to remind yourself of what Brad Pitt looked liked before he became a real actor.Two redeeming quotations from the film are "The only thing personal is the size of your d**k" and "I thought you were as straight as a virgin's d**k". Memorable because, as I remember, at the age the characters are supposed to be, these comments pepper every day conversation. That there are only two during the 1 hour 40 minutes is an indictment of authenticity.