The 'Outsiders' Cousin
If The Outsiders is a romanticized, golden-hued look at youth, That Was Then, This Is Now is the cold shower that follows. Released in 1985, the film stars Emilio Estevez—who also wrote the screenplay—and Craig Sheffer as Bryon and Mark, two foster brothers who have spent their lives as a two-man gang.
The central friction is one that almost every teenager eventually feels: the moment your best friend starts going down a path you can no longer follow. While Bryon starts to look at the world with a sense of responsibility (partly due to a new girlfriend and partly due to seeing the effects of violence), Mark is stuck in a cycle of impulsivity and crime.
Why It Struggles Today
Modern kids used to the high-octane pacing of Netflix dramas might find this movie incredibly slow. The 'action' is mostly internal, and the 80s production values make it feel like a very high-budget after-school special. However, the scene where Bryon discovers Mark’s stash of drugs remains a masterclass in tension. It’s a moment of pure, agonizing decision-making that still lands today.
How to Use It
This is a great 'comparison' movie. If your kid is reading the book, watch the movie and talk about the changes—particularly the ending. The book’s ending is even bleaker than the film’s, and discussing why the filmmakers might have softened (or sharpened) certain edges is a great way to talk about media literacy and storytelling choices. It’s not a 'fun' watch, but it is a meaningful one.
