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The Delicate Delinquent indicated that maybe there was a reason that Jerry Lewis wanted to break off from his successful teaming with Dean Martin. Delinquent is quite different in tone from the typical Martin-Lewis vehicle; it's more serious and (comparably) weightier. Indeed, many of Lewis' post-partner films delved into somewhat darker territory. Unfortunately, they rarely delved successfully, and Delinquent is typical of the problems associated with many Lewis films. The marriage between serious and comic seems forced, and the satire of juvenile delinquency films peters out rather quickly. The "dramatic" portion of the film is clichéd and unconvincing, and the love story doesn't work. Lewis handles some of his serious moments rather well, but the character who talks about being lonely seems like a different person than the one who skyrockets off the screen during moments of slapstick silliness. Still, there are some worthwhile moments, such as the opening segment, which plays like a spin-off of West Side Story (although that film was not made until several years after Delinquent). Martha Hyer and Darren McGavin do well in the roles they're known for.