Outside Providence

Released 1999
Stars Shawn Hatosy, Alec Baldwin, Amy Smart, Jon Abrahams, George Wendt
Directed by Michael Corrente
 
Outside Providence is a simple coming of age story, a nostalgia-soaked trip back to the mid-'70s when the social fabric of the American youth was stitched together by sex, drugs, and rock music. The film, despite never venturing into uncharted territory, is funny, warm, and endearing, and features a protagonist who grows on the audience. Because the themes are universal (first love, rebellion against restrictive authority, generational friction), nearly everyone, regardless of their age or gender, should be able to relate to the experiences of Timothy "Dildo" Dunphy.

The film opens in Pawtucket, Rhode Island during the summer of 1974. Timothy Dunphy (Shawn Hatosy), or Dunph, as his friends call him, has nothing better to do than to while away the days smoking dope and hanging out with friends with names like Drugs Delaney. One evening, however, while stoned, Dunph gets into an accident with a parked cop car. His father (Alec Baldwin) is furious, and promptly pulls a few strings to get Dunph sent off to the Cornwall Academy, an exclusive prep school that has a reputation for academic excellence and discipline.  

Summary by James Berardinelli