By: Omar McClinton & Kim Fields
Genre: Thriller / Drama
Logline:
A young African-American man, born with facial deformities, who is one strike away from being locked up in jail is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to have free reconstructive surgery thus having his deformities corrected, if he allows a college graduate student to study his life before and after the operation. This proves to be more difficult than he imagined, as he tries to repair the emotional damage between him and his mother, the original cause of the deformities and his law breaking ‘friends’ that will do anything to return him and his face back to the to the way they use to be.
Producer: Steve Wilburn
Production Company: Windy City Images
Plot Summary:
Synopsis
Bombastic, 22-year-old mom, YVETTE, is in the middle of a huge argument with her mother CLARA. The argument is over Yvette’s juvenile and irresponsible lifestyle that lead to her son KEVIN being born with severe facial deformities. Yvette screams to her son Kevin, “Wake up, we’re leaving!”
14 years later… in the inner-city ghetto, a liquor store is being robbed. A knife is being held to the clerk’s throat. The robbers, wearing masks, are unskilled and unprofessional in their robbery attempt. The leader, KING tries to get his “frozen” accomplice moving but to no avail. Suddenly, two police Officers LUCAS and REYNOLDS, break in and stop them. Reynolds, the rookie cop, takes this opportunity to teach one of the masked teens a lesson and beats him over and over again. Ripping off the cowering young robber’s mask he is taken back when sees Kevin’s horrific facial deformities.
Later that night, the “would-be” robbers are interrogated by police. Afterwards, Kevin is questioned by DOUGLAS, his former caseworker who’s now a lawyer, and child psychologist DR. ALEXANDRA KENNEDY. They tell Kevin the hard facts, “You’re one strike away from being locked up for a long time.” Then they tell him of the opportunity of a lifetime. Kevin is eligible for reconstructive surgery, for people born with birth defects and victims of domestic violence. There is an incredible waiting list, but Douglas was able to pull some strings, considering Kevin’s current situation.
The day of the trial, Douglas, serving as Kevin’s lawyer, works his magic and makes an agreement with the State’s Attorney to get Kevin parole, thus allowing him to take part in the operation, upon one condition. Kevin must work with CURTIS, a graduate student working on his thesis, “Nature versus Nurture.” Later, King stands before the same judge, but his lawyer is not as talented. The book is thrown at King and he, alone, must stand trial for the robbery. King is stunned.
Preparations for the surgery begin as Kevin does series of interviews with Curtis. At times Kevin masks discomfort and resentment with anger, but in time, a friendship develops. The surgery is an amazing success and now, Kevin has to learn how to navigate through the world as a new person.
Yvette, stunned at Kevin’s new appearance, masks her guilt of nonsupport, with anger. It’s now that we see our first good look at the new tall, dark and handsome Kevin, with a tear running down his cheek.
King, waits in jail for months for his trial date and is introduced to hard time. Beaten and raped by other inmates, his hatred towards Kevin, who he holds responsible, grows with every second.
Kevin, traveling to his new job, gets on the bus and meets NIA. A friendship develops and the two grow close over time. Kevin for the first time in his life, enjoys himself as he has new experiences and he slowly develops confidence.
Months pass; King stands in front of the judge. His case is thrown out of court because the liquor storeowner has left the country. King is a free man.
Yvette receives a frantic call from Douglas telling her that King was released and that Kevin may be in danger. Yvette grabs her gun and goes out looking for Kevin to tell him, but King finds him first. Kevin is chased by a wild man, until he cannot run anymore and he decides to fight. The fight goes back and forth, until Kevin suffers side effects from the surgery — massive headaches. King is now getting the upper hand. Yvette finds them just as Officer Reynolds pulls up in his squad car. King sees the police and pulls his gun to exact his revenge while he can. As King takes aim, Yvette screams and recklessly points her pistol. Shots ring out. Kevin and King fall to the cement.
Reynolds runs up and kicks the gun away from King and quickly scopes out the scene. He reassures Yvette that he saw the whole thing and that it was self-defense. Yvette doesn’t hear a word. She trembles with fear, as she slowly walks over to the body of her son, lying on the bloody ground. Kevin has been shot, the bullet grazed his face. Yvette finally admits that she has never told him how much she loves him because she always felt guilty about what she did. With a tear falling from Kevin’s eye, he now has what he’s always wanted: his mother’s unconditional love.
