But even the father is too complex to be a mere villain. All of Freeman's characters are needy humans looking for and capable of giving love. The kids are fighting (and often failing) to find their places in an imperfect world; the adults are just trying to protect what little they've got. And where the film could easily have collapsed into melodrama, Freeman saves it with a suspenseful (if somewhat unbelievable) conclusion and a cool, in-touch sense of humor. When one of Marcus's gang rips off an MC Hammer CD, he's mocked for making such a poor selection.