15 years ago, Roxy Carmichael left town leaving behind her boyfriend and new baby. Now, she's coming home as a success story. Her former boyfriend Denton Webb (Jeff Daniels) is still not over her despite being married with kids. Dinky Bossetti (Winona Ryder) is adopted, bullied at school and a loner who keeps lots of animals at an abandoned boat. Dinky is convinced that she's the love child of Roxy and Denton. She's interested in class hunk Gerald Howells but he's reluctant to show affection for the class freak. Her only friend is the school counselor Elizabeth Zaks.

Winona Ryder is perfectly cast as this sensitive outsider teen. She is great at playing this type of character. The rest of the movie lacks humor. It tries to be a sharp black comedy but the writing isn't good enough. Director Jim Abrahams is more known for his spoof movies. He doesn't seem to have a solid hold on a sensitive serious coming-of-age movie. The tone is awkward. The attempted comedy slams into Denton's anger and his side of the story. The movie works with Ryder but struggles without her.

As we get to see the backstory of the barely seen titled character, it is obvious that circumstances beyond her control and that of her long-time sweetheart (who grows up to be Jeff Daniels) causes her to abandon him, their newborn baby daughter and her hometown. Over 15 years go by before the town is told that she is coming for a visit, and one person in particular (town oddball Winona Ryder) is excited by the return. It appears that the legend has gotten around to certain people, and Ryder believes that she is that child. As the town prepares for the return of their prodigal daughter, reactions from people who knew her indicate that they either envy her for the gumption to get up and leave or pretend that they were best friends when in truth, they couldn't stand her or vice versa.

Ryder's adoptive parents (Graham Beckel and Frances Fisher) can't relate to her at all, with the relationship between adoptive mother Fisher and her adoptive daughter to be particularly strained. As the days get closer, Ryder's behavior has the town questioning her quirkiness, leading to a kindly guidance counselor (Laila Robbins) to step in and aide Ryder into coming to terms with her issues.

There's some nice camaraderie between Ryder and Daniels as the story comes out how Ryder believes him to be her natural father. One of the school jocks who teases her mercilessly reveals he has a crush on her which is a nice little subplot. This is not a great movie, but Ryder adds some charm to a character that is more than just a continuation of the character she played in "Beetlejuice". Pretty Ohio scenery is another highlight, as is Ryder's little hideaway with an assortment of pigs, goats and mangy dogs hidden away from the snobby world her adoptive parents live in. This is definitely the type of film that misguided teens might have more of a connection with. Otherwise, others will enjoy it for its quirkiness then quickly forget about it.

Adorable Winona Ryder may have become the '90s equivalent of Molly Ringwald had it not been for a succession of poor movie choices that failed to expand on her range (or her appealing post-beatnik persona). As Dinky Bosetti, small town outcast who would like to believe that hometown celebrity Roxy Carmichael is really her long-lost biological mother, Ryder's allure here is reduced to that of a messy, misfit tomboy dressed in black. The script alternately pities and martyrs her, while the sitcom shenanigans happening on the sidelines are never very funny (particularly a lesbian-issue sub-plot which is half-baked and left unresolved). Adopted Dinky loves animals and is picked on at school, though that isn't much to build a character on, and Ryder ends up making faces and acting in a vacuum. The pacing is self-consciously erratic, the editing is sloppy and too much of the dialogue is knowingly facetious. There are a few funny moments and excellent soundtrack choices, although all the picture really needed was a sharper screenplay and a more focused direction. *1/2 from ****