Plot
In the late 1960s, young greaser-type rebel Bobby Fontana, challenges Joe Barnes to a game of chicken for making a pass at his girlfriend Emily. Bobby wins the race easily when Joe dives out of his car, but he himself is unable to get out of the car in time due to his bracelet getting caught on the gearshift. He dies as his car plummets over the cliff into a fiery wreck.
Bobby awakens to find himself aboard a speeding train, which stops at a station housing a huge escalator going up into a bright white light, which one of the attendants refers to as "Uptown". He is denied entry, and Rafferty appears and explains that he is not yet considered ready and needs to carry out an "assignment" in order to earn his ticket Uptown.
After many years in limbo, Bobby is finally given his assignment: he is to return to Earth and act as a guardian angel and friend for Lenny Barnes, a promising high school student who is constantly picked on in school, particularly by school bullies Fred Gallo and Bill McIntyre. However, Bobby is instructed that he is only allowed to reveal himself to Lenny and nobody else.
Bobby helps Lenny by giving him a makeover, assisting him in dealing with Fred and Bill, and helping him win the affection of the hottest girl in school, Sharon. However, Bobby comes to realize that the new lifestyle Lenny is leading is not noble, as it causes him to rebel against everyone, including his parents and long-time friend Melissa.
Bobby discovers that Lenny's mother is Emily, his former girlfriend, and is married to Joe, the man he was racing when he died. Bobby breaks the rules and reveals himself to Emily to confess his love for her, and she informs him that he is Lenny's father.
In a scene reminiscent of the opening sequence, Lenny is challenged to a race of chicken at the local quarry by Fred, Sharon's former boyfriend. Having been told by Rafferty that Lenny will die just as Bobby did earlier, Bobby offers to trade his own chance to move Uptown (essentially, his own immortal soul) to save Lenny's life.
Much like Bobby's car race, the race ends with Lenny and Bobby flying over the edge of a cliff, and the car exploding in a fiery wreck. However, Bobby prevents him from dying, and they climb up the cliff together. Bobby helps Lenny see the error of his ways as Lenny reunites with Melissa.
After bidding an emotional goodbye to Lenny, during which he tells him that they will always be best friends, Bobby offers himself to Rafferty to fulfill his end of the bargain by accepting a ride "Downtown" (essentially, to Hell).
However, Rafferty explains that this will not be happening. Bobby incredulously asks why, since he had made a deal to trade his own soul for Lenny's second chance at life. Rafferty explains to Bobby that he had learned to love and value someone more than himself, and that is how one earned a ticket Uptown. They fly into the sky on a motorbike, and Bobby boards the escalator to Uptown.
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