This hard-hitting story of crime and joblessness among Palermo youth follows the lives of several kids leaving a juvenile reformatory and attempting to reenter society. Natale (Francesco Benigno), hoping to land a construction job with his brother, finds himself drawn back into a life of crime among his hoodlum pals. Mario, known as Mary (Alessandro di Sanzo), returns to prostitution because he’s too effeminate to get a job. Claudio (Maurizio Prollo) is hired as a mechanic only to be caught up by a violent event from his past. Featuring stunning performances by several nonprofessional actors who heartbreakingly introduce themselves at the finale, Boys on the Outside is a remarkable film about troubled youth.

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Written by Marco Risi, Aurelio Grimaldi. Photographed by Franco Fraticelli. With Francesco Benigno, Maurizio Prollo, Alessandro di Sanzo, Roberto Mariano (110 min).