eric stoltz play rocky dennis and a teen afflict with a horribly disfigure disease . he live with his mom and rusty ( cher ) and a sometime junkie who pal around with a gang of bikers . between cop with his mom antic and deal with the prejudice he encounter and the debilitating migraine he suffer from and rocky still manage to win over his teacher and classmate and become an inspiration to them . while the story initially seem to be about rocky and it also about rusty . she want everyone to see her a the tough biker chick who can handle anyone and anything that come her way and include rocky disease and the stranger who stare . this be her mask . she really scar to death for rocky and turn to the alcohol and drug to help her cope . a great film base on a true story and mask will convince you that sometimes the most unlikely people become hero .