The Children of Times Square

Otis, a disaffected teen, bolts from home and heads for New York. In the city he falls in with a crew of streetwise juveniles who make money by peddling drugs and swiping wallets for a crime boss. The encounter pulls him into a perilous underworld where trust is scarce and every move carries consequences. The film follows his attempts to survive, resist pressure from his new allies, and weigh the cost of a path that seems to offer belonging but promises danger. The screenplay treads a fine line between social realism and urban danger, placing Otis in cramped shelters, crowded subways, and late night diners where the city itself becomes a character. The mood stays tense without tipping into melodrama.

Directed by Curtis Hanson, this 1986 television drama places a troubled teen in New York's rough edges. It features Howard Rollins as Otis alongside Joanna Cassidy and David Ackroyd, with a compact cast and a focus on character over spectacle.

Box office: not applicable since this was produced as a television movie and did not receive a theatrical release. Some networks aired it during prime time, but there are no traditional box office figures to report.

Although not a widely cited classic, the film offers a snapshot of mid 1980s New York and the lure of Times Square for at risk youth. Its gritty tone and street level scope reflect how television viewers perceived urban crime at the time.

Critics treated it as a straightforward, character driven drama that probes isolation, peer pressure, and the costs of pursuing a dangerous path. The story centers on choices and the pull of belonging, while showing how personal integrity can endure when the odds are against you. Performances ground the film in realism and the setting adds social texture. It avoids easy answers and lets viewers sift through moral grey areas.