The film tells the story of the Januson family: widowed father Bill and his two children, Willa and Robbie. After working as a welder at General Motors for 17 years, a robot took over Bill's job and the family is now struggling.
Bill's daughter Willa suffers from coughing fits and headaches due to malnutrition, so Bill takes her to see their doctor and next door neighbor, Michael Millerton. Dr. Millerton says that Willa's immune system is weakening for lack of iron. He tells Bill that Willa is now at the age when any period of time without adequate nutrition can have long lasting and irreversible implications. Over time, the two families become friends. The Millertons help their neighbors in various ways, either by lending them money or giving them food.
Son Robbie starts skipping school to find ways to earn money. At first, he helps people bring their groceries to their car and then he walks through the park looking for cans and bottles to recycle. He meets a female mechanic named Gus with whom he develops a friendship. Gus tells Robbie, "A man's not a man unless he pulls his weight." After spending some time together, Robbie and Gus enter into a partnership with each other to fix an old car so they can sell it.
After trying and failing to find a better job, Bill goes to apply for food stamps and is told that the earliest he can receive assistance will be in five days. Later, Bill happens to walk by a construction site and, feeling desperate, he joins in and starts working. By the end of the day, the supervisor decides to hire him.
Gus tells Robbie the car needs a new carburetor. Robbie steals Bill's rent money and buys the part that he needs. The next day, Gus tells him that she found a buyer willing to pay $1,855 for the car and that she's willing to split it with him because of all the help that he has given her. Unfortunately, Gus' coworker borrows the car to see her boyfriend and ends up in a car accident. Having lost hope completely, Robbie attempts to commit suicide by hanging himself in the shower. At the hospital, Robbie confesses to his father about stealing the money. Bill is just happy to see that Robbie will be alright. The film ends on an uncertain but hopeful note as the Millerton and Januson families visit together.
Best Performance in a TV Movie/Mini-Series - Young Actor
Shelton Dane
Nominated
References
^ abKing, Susan (December 1, 1996). "Hard Times on Showtime". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
