The year is 1954 and Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker and his gang of drapes are the toughest and coolest kids in Baltimore, Maryland. At school, a young "Square" girl by the name of Alison Vernon Williams catches Cry-Baby's eye, and Alison, so tired of being a good girl, would give anything for one night on the wild side with the gorgeous Wade Walker.

Everyone knows that Squares and Drapes do not mix, so when Alison works up the courage to talk to Cry-Baby and his gang after school, her grandmother and her boyfriend Baldwin quickly snatch her away and tell her to not associate with common juvenile delinquents. That afternoon at the talent show at her grandmothers school, Alison realises how boring her life really is, and she can't stop thinking about Cry-Baby.

Meanwhile, Cry-Baby and his gang are back at Turkey Point, a spare parts shop and swimming hole operated by Cry-Baby's grandma Ramona Rickets. Today is a special day for Ramona and her partner Belvedere - they have been together ten whole years! And to celebrate they have bought gifts for Pepper, Cry-Baby's pregnant sister and Cry-Baby. While Pepper gets a new cradle for the new baby, Cry-Baby gets his very own motorcycle. Tonight is the Jukebox Jamboree, and he's determined to have Alison as his date.

When Cry-Baby shows up at the talent show to pick up Alison, Baldwin is furious and attempts to start a fight with Cry-Baby. Alison begs her grandmother to let her go with him and eventually she agrees and after a makeover from the Cry-Baby girls it appears Alison is fitting in just fine with the drapes. But this isn't over for Baldwin, who heads out to Turkey Point with a gang of Squares to start a riot by burning Cry-Baby's motorcycle. Of course, it is the drapes that get arrested and because of his family history (Cry-Baby's father was the alphabet bomber), he is sent to a home for Juvenile Delinquents where he must stay until he is 21.

Alison plans to stand by her man, but a scrambled news report and a fake statement from Drape hussy Lenora, who is in love with Cry-Baby, that she is pregnant with his child, makes Alison think that perhaps Cry-Baby didn't really love her and that she is just a fool. Baldwin sees this as a perfect opportunity to get Alison back and gets her to sing with him at the opening of the Enchanted Forest, the first theme park in Maryland. Lenora now has her sights set on Baldwin, and Alison begins to wonder if he really loves her at all, or if he just wants to keep her from Cry-Baby. The Drapes crash the party, and urge Alison to pick the man that loves her the most. Without much hesitation, Alison heads off with the Drapes to help get Cry-Baby out of prison.

With the help of Alison's  grandmother, Cry-Baby is set free, only to learn that it was in fact Baldwin's grandfather who pulled the switch on his father and decides to settle things with this preppie loser once and for all - in a game of chicken. But rather than them driving the cars, they are to ride on top of them!

I love this movie, and even though I've seen it a million times, it never seems to get old. I must make special mention of Traci Lords as Wanda, she just plays (and looks) the part to perfection!