Off the Minnesota Strip

When I saw this, I was deeply impressed with the young actress, Mare Winningham. Everything she did (as an actress) was brilliant -- even when she smoked (blowing smoke from the side of her mouth).

Rarely have television-made movies explored misguided youth so well as in "Off The Minnesota Strip". Mare Winningham gets to utilize her full-range as an actress, portraying a young runaway who is forced to return home to her confused, exhausted parents and go back to school.

I was 15 years old when I "accidentally" saw this movie. As I recall, my boyfriend decided to go out with his buddies that night (a Friday), leaving me home alone with nothing to do.

Micki (Mare Winningham) plays a 15 year-old who ran from home and spent months in New York City prostituting herself. The police have found her, beaten by her pimp and ready to come home.

There are a hand full of TV movies from the 1970's, that are truly outstanding. This is one of them.

This is one of the best made for TV movies I have ever seen. It could very easily have been an exploitation flick and come across as cheap and tawdry, but it doesn'tIt treats its characters, including the black pimp with respect and creates an image of a world in which all the characters are struggling with their inner demons.

I remember this movie well and always think of it if I see Mare Winningham in other movies. It's a portrayal of a troubled teenage girl who runs away from a bad family scene only to have to return and deal with the issues in her life.