John McGill’s schooling begins poorly when an older student intimidates him. Concerned for his safety, he asks his brother Benny—someone capable of handling things—to intervene, and that happens. After that point, the situation deteriorates. John becomes involved with a group, comes close to seriously injuring another boy or boys, but it continues to worsen. At one point, he strikes his father (or possibly his uncle), and then is compelled to live on the streets. There’s violence present in this film, though not as much as you might anticipate, and thankfully it isn't entirely without purpose. John himself appears to be a victim just as often as he acts like a bully; if we feel sympathy for those he harms, we should also feel bad for him. His life could have unfolded differently, but one incident dramatically altered its course. Still, that doesn’t preclude the possibility of changing things again, should he put in the effort. Finally... don't be concerned, this movie offers a valuable lesson, so it would be worthwhile to see. The concluding image is likely to stay with you for a long time.

Source on TMDB