Dangerous Child | |
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Directed by | Graeme Campbell |
Produced by |
Terry Gould Executive producer Freyda Rothstein Associate producer Deborah Wolsh Supervising producer Anne Carlucci |
Written by | Karen Stillman |
Starring |
Delta Burke Ryan Merriman Vyto Ruginis Marc Donato Barclay Hope Rosemary Dunsmore Deborah Odell |
Music by | Peter Manning Robinson |
Cinematography | Nikos Evdemon |
Edited by | Michael Schweitzer |
Distributed by | Starlight Home Entertainment |
Release date
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Running time
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90 minutes |
Country | Canada |
Language | English |
Dangerous Child is a 2001 made-for-television film starring Delta Burke and Ryan Merriman. Merriman won a Young Artist Award for "Best Performance in a TV Movie or Special - Leading Young Actor" for his role in the film.
The film was released on VHS in 2002, followed by a DVD release in 2008.
Sally Cambridge is the divorced mother of two sons, 16-year-old Jack and 9-year-old Leo. As the film opens, she is arrested on suspicion of child abuse, and during questioning, she reveals the story of what actually happened, told via flashback.
One evening, a call to Jack's basketball coach reveals that he has been given a two-week suspension from the team due to poor grades, which Jack did not tell her. Compounded with the fact that he stayed out past curfew that night, Sally attempts to talk to Jack about his problems, but he angrily orders her out of his bedroom, slightly shoving her in the process. A short time later, while hanging out with his friend Luke, Jack is arrested for shoplifting at the local mall, and when Sally attempts to question him afterwards, he again becomes furious and smashes a glass. She later tries to ask Jack what caused this outburst, but he tells her he doesn't know and tearfully apologizes.
While the boys are spending the weekend with their father, Brad, the topic of girl problems comes up with Jack. Looking for a female perspective on the matter, Brad tries to involve his new wife Marcia in the discussion, but Jack angrily screams that he doesn't want to talk about it and storms out of the house, though Brad manages to defuse the situation.
Not long afterwards, Sally goes on a date with a colleague named Frank, who is also divorced. While Leo warms up to him immediately, Jack is outright rude when Frank arrives to pick Sally up, and when she reprimands Jack for his behavior, he shouts at her and then pushes her aside. Later that night, Jack receives a phone call from Luke, and although entrusted with watching his little brother, he leaves Leo alone to go to a party. Furious, Sally grounds Jack for a month and takes the phone to call Luke's mother. A confrontation ensues, which soon turns physical, and when Sally slaps Jack in retaliation, he attempts to punch her, but she ducks and he ends up putting his hand through a window, cutting his arm in the process.