The film is noted for its cast of up-and-coming stars, including C. Thomas Howell (who garnered a Young Artist Award), Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, RalphMacchio, and Diane Lane. The film helped spark the Brat Pack genre of the 1980s. Dillon went on to star in two more films based on Hinton novels:Tex (1982) with Estevez, and Coppola's Rumble Fish (1983) with Lane. Estevez wrote and starred in the Hinton adaptation That Was Then... This Is Now (1985).
The film received mostly positive reviews from critics, most notably for the performances, withMacchio being singled out for praise. The film performed well at the box office, grossing $33.7 million on a $10 million budget. Over the years, the film has earned a cult following.
