Mark Jennings (Emilio Estevez) and Bryon Douglas (Craig Sheffer) are best friends and juvenile delinquents. Bryon falls for the new girl in school who turns out to be an old acquaintance, Cathy Carlson (Kim Delaney). His ex Angela Shepard is jealous. He starts to be more responsible which concerns Mark. Mark and Bryon hustle at pool, and get their bar owner friend Charlie Woods (Morgan Freeman) killed. Mark cuts off drunken Angela's hair. Her thuggish brothers come looking for revenge on Bryon's face. Cathy's little brother M&M is hospitalized on drugs from Mark. The friendship cracks under the pressure.I used to read S.E. Hinton religiously once upon a time. It has a melodramatic teen coming-of-age mentality. They work on the page. They have the 50's 'Rebel Without a Cause' sensibility. The modern world can clash with that sensibility. It can seem overwrought and out of place. This one fails that test from time to time. It probably should have stayed in the earlier time period rather than trying to bring it into the modern world. Estevez is a solid delinquent. This is a valiant but flawed effort.

This is an excellent underrated film, that's often quite powerful and gripping, with a great story and amazing performances!. All the characters are excellent, and I was lucky enough to find this at my video store and buy it for 1$ at the VHS blow out sale, plus Emilio Estevez and Craig Sheffer are simply incredible in this!. The bond between Estevez and Sheffer really was incredible, and it was so sad when they started drifting apart, and Morgan Freeman has a small but very memorable part here as Charlie the bartender, plus the ending is really moving, and will really make you think, but it also leaves the viewer smiling!(you'll see what I mean when you watch it). I have not yet read the book but I did really enjoy this movie, and this is very well made and written as well, plus I felt sorry for Emilio's character. one of the most powerful scenes in the movie for me is when Bryan, and Mark get into a fight because Mark was responsible for giving drugs to M&M,and Estevez and Sheffer had brilliant chemistry together, plus this is truly an underrated gem. This is an excellent underrated film, that's often quite powerful and gripping, with a great story and amazing performances, and I say it's a must see for everyone!. The Direction is excellent!. Christopher Cain does an excellent! job here with awesome camera work, solid angles giving the film some good atmosphere and keeping it at an engrossing pace. The Acting is amazing!. Emilio Estevez is amazing as always and is incredible here, his character was a trouble maker, but was just so likable, that you are able to feel sorry for his character, I especially felt bad for him near the end, he also had brilliant chemistry with Craig Sheffer, brought lots of energy and charm to the role, and just did an amazing job this is one of his best performances! (Emilio Rules!!!!!!!). Craig Sheffer is just as good, he was really likable, and you will feel happy for him because he is getting his life on track and is growing up, it's just too bad his career never really took off, because he impressed the hell out of me here!. Jill Schoelen is very cute and does fine as Angela she had good chemistry with Sheffer and just seemed like a nice ordinary girl, I liked her lots. Kim Delaney does fine as the troubled teen I liked her. Morgan Freeman is amazing in his small role as the Bartender and as always couldn't take my eyes off him when he was on screen (Freeman Rules!!!!!!!). Rest of the cast are fine. Overall a must see for everyone!. ****1/2 out of 5

SPOILER I think that the book was funny and interesting. The movie was funny and interesting. The movie was not as good as the book. The movie did not go in to as much detail as the book did. The part in the book about Mark stealing the car to go and see his probation officer because he had stolen cars was not mentioned in the movie. Also the movie had Mark steal a car at the end with a police chase instead of having Bryan turn Mark in to the police for dealing drugs. He should have also had talked to Mark instead of kicking him out of the house right off the bat.

That Was Then... This Is Now is one of the best early performances of Emilo Estvez as a writer and actor. Estevz brings Mark to life they way S.E.Hinton intened by being brutal and cut throat in his performace. All of the actors in the film give equally good performacnes in particular Morgan Freemen and Craig Sheffer. A underlooked gem.