Rooftops

Rooftops is a 1989 crime and dance drama film directed by Robert Wise, which follows the misadventures of two homeless teenagers in Manhattan. This is the second of Robert Wise's film about poor young New Yorkers, the first being the famous West Side Story, This is also Wise's last film. The film opens with a chase. Squeak, the main character's best friend has tagged the wrong area and a local crew of misfits seeks to teach him a lesson. A chase ensues through the streets of New York City, through abandoned buildings and on rooftops. Squeak is finally cornered before his best friend and the... film's main hero, T, comes to his rescue. The rest of the film focuses on T and his group of friends, among them a reformed prostitute, a young Latina, and a deaf basketball player. T is famous among the neighbourhood for taking place in a dance called "combat" in which "combatants" attempt to force each other off of a square fighting surface through only intimidation, no contact is allowed. T falls in love with Elana and she reciprocates his feelings. T is also exposed to Capoeira, which he naturally compares to his own fighting style.
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