
She fights for Rocky's inclusion in a mainstream junior high school and confronts a principal who would rather relegate him to a special education school, despite the fact that his condition hasn't affected his intelligence. Rocky's mother, Florence "Rusty" Dennis ( Cher), is determined to give Rocky as normal a life as possible, in spite of her own wild ways as a member of the Turks biker club, as well as her strained relationship with her father. However, many others fail to see his humanity, intelligence and humor and thus respond to his unusual appearance with fear, pity, awkwardness, and uncertainty. "Rocky" Dennis ( Eric Stoltz), who has craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, is accepted without question by those who know and love him: the boyfriend of his freewheeling biker mother, particularly Gar ( Sam Elliott) his "extended motorcycle family" and his maternal grandparents Abe and Evelyn Steinberg ( Richard Dysart and Estelle Getty), and with whom Abe shares his love of baseball card collecting. Yank the Dog's Chain: Every time something good happens with Rocky.In Azusa, California in 1978, Roy L.

For example, when they go to a carnival, Rocky and Ben try to go on the bumper car ride, but when the ticket taker won't take Rocky's ticket, Gar gives him a Death Glare and tells him in a low but threatening voice, "Take (Rocky's) the ticket".

Historical Beauty Update: While the real Florence "Rusty" Tullis wasn't unattractive, Cher is more attractive than the real Tullis was.Unfortunately, their relationship ends on a bitter note when Ben moves back to Michigan for good, ultimately ending a planned motorcycle trip through Europe, they had planned for the past year. Heterosexual Life-Partners: Rocky and his best friend, Ben.Heroic Breakdown: Rusty goes through one when she realizes that her son died in his sleep.The Grotesque: Rocky, a gentle boy who unfortunately has a horribly disfigured skull.Foregone Conclusion: The real Rocky Dennis died at age 16, meaning that his film incarnation isn't going to fare much better.Vinton claims Rocky might not live for more than six months. Downer Ending: Rocky dies all of a sudden, leading Rusty to have a Heroic Breakdown.

