Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Drinking, drugs, homophobic language in wayward teen drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Over the Edge
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In OVER THE EDGE, a newly developed community called New Granada promises to be a forward-thinking utopia for its inhabitants. But when planners fail to acknowledge that a quarter of the population is under 15, and the project runs out of money, it leaves groups of bored teens with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Most turn to drugs and petty crime to get their kicks, including rebellious Richie (Matt Dillon) and his friend Carl (Michael Eric Kramer), whose clashes with the authorities have tragic consequences and ignite the anger of the other kids in town.
Is It Any Good?
Dillon makes his movie debut in this rebellious but bleak drama inspired by a 1973 newspaper article about a real-life California town. Watching the story unfold sometimes feels like eavesdropping in Over the Edge, which features a lot of first-time teen actors and mostly non-actors in supporting roles. Much of the screen time is taken up by the young people, so viewers see things very much from their POV. The "New Grenada" of the film promises to be "tomorrow's city… today," but a lack of thoughtful planning and funding means the utopia hasn't come to fruition. Original buildings have been left to ruin, new ones sit unfinished, and there's absolutely nothing for the 25% population of under 15s to do—particularly given the land put aside for a bowling alley, skating rink, and movie theater is being sold off as a retail park by the very adults that keep blaming the town's problems on the youth. The kids lose interest and hope, and turn to drugs and petty crime to fill their days, flipping the bird in whatever small way they can. The soundtrack perfectly reflects the story and the time, with music from the likes of The Ramones and Van Halen. There's rebellion, carnage, even death, but at the end of the day, none of the kids are the bad seeds the adults are trying to label them, and the finale is such an iconically angry scream into the void that it inspired the music video for Nirvana's equally legendary "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how authority was portrayed in Over the Edge. What did the police, school teachers, and parents want for the town? How did they react when things started to go wrong, and how did they try to control the situation? Did you think there were other ways they could have gone about it that might have been more impactful?
A big theme in the movie is the gap between generations. Why were the kids and parents so disconnected from each other? What effect did that have? Why do you think generation gaps like that develop in real life? What can be done to avoid them or to help to reconnect them?
How was the teenage experience portrayed in the movie? Teens engaged in illegal and dangerous behaviors, like drinking, smoking, taking drugs, stealing, violence, and destroying property. Did the movie imply that makes them "bad" people? Why, or why not?
Discuss the strong language used in the movie. What did it contribute to the movie? Is a certain kind of language expected in a film like this?
Did you notice any stereotypes? How did they make you feel? Why are accurate depictions in the media important?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 18, 1979
- On DVD or streaming : September 20, 2005
- Cast : Matt Dillon , Michael Eric Kramer , Pamela Ludwig
- Director : Jonathan Kaplan
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : School ( High School , Middle School )
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : July 14, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate