Steve Moore is sixteen and lives with his younger sister, mother Cheryl and her boyfriend John, in a modest house in Bakersfield, California. An abusive and often intoxicated man, John rules the household, and though his attacks on Steve result in emergency hospital visits, Cheryl's loyalty is to her boyfriend. To protect her relationship with John, she "ditches" her son, having him arrested and locked in a correctional "mental" facility, before coercing her older brother Burt, who lives in Hollywood, to take him. Steve quickly discovers that Burt cannot even provide temporary lodging, but an administrator at his new high school directs him to a shelter for runaway kids where he soon learns to navigate his way.
Austin O'Brien
as Steve Moore
Demetrius Navarro
as Mike
Arielle Paul
as Sally Donaldson
Esteban Powell
as Andy
Caitlin Sedio
as Kristy Moore
Arif S. Kinchen
as Marcus
Susan Johnston
as Cheryl Moore
Carmine Caridi
as Officer Brady
Rosamond Rice
as Counselor
Sergio D. Acosta
as Security Guard
Joseph Aguilar
as K-9
Ian Carlson
as Rob Conners