Is This the Real World

In the real world, you can’t always do as you please; compromises are necessary. However, Mark Blazey refuses to conform to this reality. Living in a semi-industrial coastal town, seventeen-year-old Mark is an intelligent young man from a tumultuous family background. He has recently given up a scholarship to a private school and is now attending the local high school. There, he becomes the target of an authoritarian principal who exerts control over everything. At home, Mark faces a brother on the verge of imprisonment, a grandmother battling for her life, and a mother whose temper is kept in check by boxed wine. He feels a strong urge to protect his younger sister. When Mark experiences his first true romance, he attempts to escape the pressures of his life with his newfound love. However, his romantic interest is the daughter of his adversary, the school principal. This leads to escalating tensions between student and teacher, as well as between son and mother.