Dirty Girl

In 1987, Danielle Edmondston clashes with her mother, Sue-Ann, over her impending marriage to a Mormon named Ray. Danielle feels out of place in their conservative town and resents the expectations placed on her as a teenager. The confrontation sets the stage for her impulsive decision to run away with Clarke.

Danielle befriends Clarke Walters, a shy, gay classmate, and together they flee their homes in Clarke's car. They head toward Fresno, California, planning to find Danielle's birth father, Danny Briggs. Sue-Ann and Clarke's mother Peggy pursue them in a bid to bring them back.

Joseph breaks into Danielle's house to locate Clarke, only to discover the family is away on vacation. He is arrested for breaking and entering and remains in custody. The incident heightens the tension as the search continues.

Joseph calls Peggy to bail him out, but she refuses, determined not to let him harm Clarke again. This decision leaves Joseph in jail until a judge can decide his fate. The family conflict intensifies during the escape attempt.

On the road, they pick up hitchhiker Joel who has sex with Clarke. The next morning Clarke discovers Joel has left, leaving him heartbroken. He blames Danielle for the betrayal, complicating their uneasy partnership.

Their car breaks down on the roadside as they press on toward Fresno. Desperate for money, they try to rent another car only to learn Joseph has been released from jail and is accusing them of stolen credit cards.

Needing cash, Danielle enters a strip contest at a biker gay bar and performs for the crowd. Clarke cheers her on, and Joseph arrives, forcing them into his other car. The moment underscores the widening danger around them.

In the aftermath, Clarke's father confronts him in the car, provoking a tense confrontation on the highway. Danielle is told to flee as the men clash, and the pair are separated as they continue their escape in Joseph's vehicle.

Danielle finally reaches a bus station, distraught and unsure of the future, and decides she cannot stay with Clarke any longer. The separation marks a turning point in her quest for belonging and answers.

Danielle finds her birth father, Danny Briggs, at his house, only to be met with rejection when he reveals he has a younger daughter. The encounter deepens her sense of abandonment and loss.

Despondent, Danielle returns home and visits Clarke's mother, who reveals that Clarke's father has sent him to military school and moved him into an apartment. The news reframes Clarke's past and the constraints placed on him.

Danielle enters a talent show and sings Don't Cry Out Loud, Melissa Manchester's hopeful ballad. Clarke arrives in a military uniform, and they finish the song together, signaling a strengthened bond and renewed courage.

Clarke explains that his mother let him out early and that, at an all-boys school, he became popular and learned to defend himself against an abusive father. Danielle's newfound maturity complements Clarke's courage, and they drive off into the sunset together.