Born Into Exile

• Watchlist

This is the tale of two young lovers who flee from the miseries of their home lives to make it on their own. Chris, 19 and rejected by his family, hopes to go to college and into forestry once he's out of the Army Reserves. Holly, 14, lives with her brother and their divorced, overprotective mother. She runs with an older crowd and soon attaches herself to Chris. Holly's mother is dead-set against Chris because of his age, and she and Holly are at odds over him. When she forbids them to see each other and boots Chris out of her yard, Holly convinces a doubtful Chris to run off to the promises of California. The Trip West, with the couple penniless, avoiding the law, a lecherous trucker and other routine incidents, shows them that life won't be easy. Once in southern California there are no answers except for a fortuitous offer from the Hollywood Outreach Program, which they reject. Bad luck hits hard, but Chris can't go home because the Army has declared him AWOL, and Holly's mother has pressed charges of kidnapping and rape. Furthermore, Holly won't leave Chris--they've discovered they're really in love.