Curly Sue

Bill Dancer and Curly Sue survive on the streets by pulling small cons and sharing what they have. They drift between shelters and the open road, doing what it takes to eat and stay together. Sue looks to Bill as a guardian in a rough, uncertain world.

One night at the shelter, Sue's tin ring—left to her by her late mother—is stolen and pawned by a drifter. Bill and Sue scramble to recover what was lost, knowing the ring carries a memory they cling to. The theft foreshadows the struggle to hold onto something precious amid their scams.

They leave Detroit for Chicago in search of better opportunities and safer streets. In Chicago they resume their street-smart cons to survive and avoid drawing attention from authorities. The move introduces them to new people who will influence their future.

The duo pulls off a convincing con that makes Grey Ellison believe she backed her Mercedes into Bill. The scene leaves Grey intrigued rather than resentful. This encounter opens the door for Grey to become involved in their lives.

The next night, Grey literally collides with Bill again, and this time she offers them a place to stay. Bill is wary but accepts the shelter, drawn by Sue's safety and Grey's generosity. The arrangement begins to tangle their fragile lives with Grey's expectations.

A confrontation exposes the con, and Bill admits the truth and tells Grey it's time for them to move on. He refuses to abandon Sue, underscoring the child’s central place in their life. Grey starts to understand the precarious position of the homeless pair.

Walker, Grey's spiteful boyfriend, turns them in, and Sue is taken away by child protective services. Bill is arrested for not having custody of the child. The couple's instability collapses into legal jeopardy.

While imprisoned, Bill encounters the drifter who stole Sue's ring and compels him to reveal where it went. The drifter's confession becomes the crucial lead to rescuing Sue and resolving the ring mystery.

Grey arrives to post Bill's bail and has also secured Sue's release from state care. The two work toward reclaiming their custody and rebuilding their family.

The drifter had taken the ring to a pawn shop and sold it, and Bill buys it back. Reclaiming the ring symbolizes reclaiming their family and a chance to stabilize their life together.

Sue and Grey return to their apartment and discover the ring, but Sue fears it spells an end. A note accompanying the ring reveals that Bill is waiting in the living room. The discovery rekindles hope for a real family life.

Grey and Bill legally adopt Sue and are married, forming a true family. The film ends with them dropping Sue off at her first day of school, signaling a hopeful new chapter.