It's funny, but in a three film DVD involving juvenile delinquents, the lowest rated on IMDb entertained me most ("High School Big Shot") and this film, which was the highest rated, bored me the most! It seems that some people really did like "Date Bait"--I just thought it had tons of plot problems and spent too much time on two stories when it probably would have been best to just stick with one plot...and do that one better.
The film begins with a psycho teenager getting out of months of drug treatment. It seems, however, that his biggest problems aren't the drugs but that he's a loony hot-head! Within minutes of arriving in the hangout where the teens (most of which looked in their 20s) go to dance, he pulls out a knife and tries to kill another guy--all because this other guy 'stole his girl'---but the loony druggie never really did go out with the girl more than a couple times. A bit later, the loony druggie's brother arrives and convinces him to go home. BUT, this is not the end of it...then the brother and one of his friends chase the innocent guy who was almost stabbed--running him of the road and beating him! Yet, despite a knife fight and near vehicular homicide, NO ONE BOTHERS TO CALL THE POLICE!!!!! Up until near the end of the film, you just assume this town doesn't have a police force!!! Now at this point, the film appears to be an exposée on drug abuse or juvenile delinquency or perhaps on a weird relationship between brothers. However, oddly, much of the next 40 minutes or so consists of the relationship between the girl and guy who was attacked at knife-point. The idea of two frisky young lovers wanting to defy her parents and run off to get married was rather interesting--even if her father in the film was silly! The dad was rather irrational and his acting consisted of irrational screaming 'for her own good'! His character really was dopey.
Late in the film, the loony druggie AND the two teens (who have since secretly married) come together once again when loony-boy kidnaps the young lady! Finally, after a knife fight and about a dozen assaults through the course of the film someone thinks to get the police! And it's a showdown in which you don't know who will and won't survive...but by this point, who really cares?! Too disjoint, too cheap and too unbelievable to be much good for anything but a few unintended laughs.
