Rude Awakening 1989

In 1969 New York City, two idealistic hippies, [Eric Roberts] as Fred Wook and [Cheech Marin] as Jesús Monteya, flee the FBI and vanish into the jungles of Central America. Fred, an idealist who helps run an underground newspaper, collaborates with his friend [Robert Carradine] as Sammy Margolin, while Jesús—a brain-fried stoner whose LSD experiments have left him clinging to a pacifist sense of peace—still talks about peace as he leaves the lab. Fred’s girlfriend, [Julie Hagerty] as Petra Black, remains behind in the city. Their bond is tested by time, distance, and a shared belief that the world can change, even when the path seems blocked.

Twenty years later, the two adventurers stumble upon a dying man who entrusts them with documents claiming the United States plans to invade the country. Outraged, Fred and Jesús decide to return to the United States to try to halt the action. They reemerge into a New York City that has grown slick with the 1980s yuppie ethos, a culture of material success that feels alien to their long-suppressed idealism. Meanwhile, Sammy Margolin and Petra Black have embraced this new world, blurring the line between rebellion and the comforts of wealth.

Back in civilization, Fred, Jesús, Sammy, and Petra attempt to mobilize against the looming crisis by leading a sit-in at the University of New York. The protest, however, falters as the student body feels detached from the documents and their supposed implications. The papers turn out to be more theoretical than actionable, yet the controversy sparks a dangerous realization: many Americans might support a war they believe they could win. > we can win

As the movement falters, Fred struggles with the weight of having possibly started a war, and he contemplates leaving New York with Jesús for unknown destinations. Sammy and Petra are reluctant to abandon their newfound security and insights into a comfortable life. Just when hope seems dim, a group of college students arrives, asking Fred to help organize action and channel their energy into meaningful change. He realizes that even if his personal mission failed, there is still potential for change as long as there are young people who share his values. The film closes with an uplifting onscreen sing-along to the song Revolution during the closing credits, leaving audiences with a sense that hope can persist even when the odds are stacked against them.