Mask (1985)
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A young boy with a rare genetic disorder navigates a world that often views him as a spectacle rather than a person.
The story
In 1979 Azusa, California, the film follows Rocky Dennis, a teenage boy with the extremely rare genetic disorder known as craniodiaphyseal dysplasia. He is accepted without question by his freewheeling bohemian biker mother Florence "Rusty" Dennis, her boyfriend Gar, and his extended motorcycle family. However, many others treat Rocky with fear, pity, awkwardness, and teasing by those unaware of his humanity, humor, and intelligence. Rusty is determined to give Rocky as normal a life as possible, despite her own eccentric and chaotic life. She fights for his enrollment in a mainstream junior high school, where Rocky thrives, making many friends and excelling academically while dealing with the challenges of his condition.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1979 Azusa, California, Rocky Dennis, a teenager with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, lives with his bohemian biker mother, Rusty, and her boyfriend, Gar. While his 'motorcycle family' embraces him, the public often treats him with pity or fear. Despite a grim medical prognosis, Rocky excels in school and finds love with Diana Adams, a blind girl at a summer camp. However, his life is complicated by his mother's struggles and the growing cruelty of peers. After a series of personal losses—including the loss of his best friend's proximity and a strained relationship with Diana's parents—Rocky faces a final, fatal health crisis. He dies in his sleep, leaving his mother to mourn him in a final, heart-wrenching goodbye. The film concludes with his biker family visiting his grave, where his voice is heard reciting a poem he wrote for school.
- First release year
- 1985
- Runtime (minutes)
- 120
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Peter Bogdanovich
- Writers
- Anna Hamilton Phelan · writer
- Cast and characters
- Cher · Florence "Rusty" Dennis; Sam Elliott · Gar; Eric Stoltz · Roy L. "Rocky" Dennis; Estelle Getty · Evelyn Steinberg; Richard Dysart · Abe Steinberg; Laura Dern · Diana Adams; Micole Mercurio · Babe; Harry Carey Jr. · Red
- Genres
- biographical drama; coming-of-age drama
- Themes
- humanity vs. appearance; mother-son bond; overcoming adversity
- Tone and mood
- poignant; heartfelt
- Setting
- Azusa, California, 1979
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; medical condition; biker culture
- Source material / true-story basis
- The true story of Rocky Dennis
- Reception
- Reviews were mostly positive, with critics praising the performances of Cher and Eric Stoltz and the film's sensitive direction.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 93% · scale: approval rating · review count: 29
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Makeup · win; Cannes Film Festival · Best Actress · 1985 · win; Jupiter Awards · Best Actress · win; Your Choice For The Film Awards · Best Actress · win
- Production trivia
- The film was shot at Camp Bloomfield in 1984.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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