TELEVISION REVIEWS : When White Rich Kids Get Involved in Gang Life

The title previously announced for “Broken Angel” (tonight at 9, Channels 7, 3, 10 and 42) was “Best Intentions.” It was much more apt. The movie is about the well-intentioned parents of a troubled girl more than about the girl herself. Furthermore, “Best Intentions” (with the unspoken “but” following it) is the best way to begin to describe Cynthia Cherbak’s script.

The goal is worthy--to alert parents in general to the motivations of teen-age gang members, and to alert white, wealthier parents in particular that their kids and neighborhoods aren’t immune from the danger of gangs.

William Shatner and Susan Blakely play San Fernando Valley careerists whose daughter, a straight-A student (Erika Eleniak), disappears after her friend is killed in a gang shooting at her high school prom.

Searching for the girl, Shatner’s character learns that she’s active in a gang and that his younger son might be moving in similar circles. He also realizes that he and his wife haven’t paid enough attention to their offspring.

Unfortunately, Cherbak’s script is yoked too closely to her research. Conversations sound like feature stories instead of conversations. A beautiful gang counselor (Roxann Biggs) spends most of her time educating Shatner, but when she finally brings the girl home, we don’t see how it happened.

We’re told it’s important for teen-agers “to talk everything out,” but this advice can be deadly when followed by screenwriters.

Shatner woefully overacts. Richard Heffron directed.