This week, we cruise back to the turbulent teenage streets with That Was Then... This Is Now, the coming-of-age adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s novel. Directed by Christopher Cain and starring Emilio Estevez and Craig Sheffer, it’s a tale of brotherhood, betrayal, and the bittersweet march into adulthood. Will this one stand the test of time, or should it have stayed parked in the lot of forgotten ‘80s teen dramas…

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Release Details

• Title: That Was Then… This Is Now

• Year: 1985

• Director: Christopher Cain

• Writer(s): Screenplay: Emilio Estevez, Original novel: S. E. Hinton

• Top Billed Stars: Emilio Estevez, Craig Sheffer, Kim Delaney, Jill Schoelen, Barbara Babcock, Morgan Freeman

• Running Time: ~102 minutes

• Country of Origin: United States

• Official Release Date(s): November 8, 1985 (U.S.)

Plot Summary

Mark Jennings (Emilio Estevez) and Bryon Douglas (Craig Sheffer) have been like brothers growing up together—Mark looks up to Bryon, Bryon treats Mark as the younger sibling he never had. Their lives revolve around their neighborhood, their mentor figure Charlie Woods (Morgan Freeman), and reckless adventures.

But Bryon begins to change when he falls for Cathy Carlson (Kim Delaney) and tries to take on responsibility, while Mark resists growing up and sinks deeper into destructive choices, including drugs. The two boys start to drift apart, their once-unshakable bond tested by new loyalties and life paths.

After Charlie’s tragic death and the disappearance of Cathy’s younger brother M&M, Bryon begins to suspect Mark’s involvement in darker activities. Tensions rise as Bryon must choose between protecting Mark or doing what’s right.

The film closes on a bittersweet note: choices are made, consequences fall, and the friendship that once defined both boys can no longer survive unchanged. It’s about growing up, diverging paths, and the painful reality of leaving childhood behind.

Background & Interesting Details

• Adapted from the novel That Was Then, This Is Now by S. E. Hinton, who also wrote The Outsiders and Rumble Fish.

• Emilio Estevez not only starred but also wrote the screenplay. His father, Martin Sheen, helped purchase the rights to the novel in 1982.

• Filmed in St. Paul, Minnesota during the summer of 1984.

• Marketed as “the first Minnesota movie” since few Hollywood productions had filmed there at the time.

• Estevez stated he wanted to capture the “dark” tone of the novel, emphasizing the heavy emotional toll of growing up and losing innocence.

• Critics slammed the movie as overly melodramatic and uneven, while audiences—especially fans of the book—were more forgiving.

Other Projects (Writer / Director / Main Leads)

• Christopher Cain (Director): The Stone Boy (1984), Young Guns (1988)

• Emilio Estevez: The Outsiders (1983), Tex (1982), The Breakfast Club (1985), Wisdom (1986 — also wrote and directed)

• Craig Sheffer: Some Kind of Wonderful (1987), Nightbreed (1990), A River Runs Through It (1992)

• Kim Delaney: Known later for NYPD Blue, Films like The Drifter (1988)

• Morgan Freeman: Early career roles before breakout success in the late 1980s and 1990s, Later starred in Glory (1989), Lean on Me (1989), and Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

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