Bad Ass

Frank grows up in the Latin Quarter of Los Angeles and dreams of a better life. He joins the Army and goes to Vietnam, where he is tortured and wounded. He returns home to begin rehabilitation and search for a new path in civilian life.

Back in the United States, Frank cannot return to the police force because of his injuries. He struggles to find steady work as employers expect degrees and experience. He ends up selling hot dogs from a street cart, watching life pass by.

Two punks harass a passenger on a city bus, and Frank intervenes. He fights them off, and the scene is captured by bystanders. The footage is uploaded to YouView under the title Bad Ass, turning Frank into a local celebrity.

The media attention continues as Frank is interviewed on LA Mornings. The community and the police begin to respect him and even invite him on patrol with Officer Malark. The neighborhood mood shifts as Bad Ass becomes a symbol of street justice.

Three months after Frank's fame, his mother dies. Father Miller delivers a heartfelt eulogy that acknowledges his son’s struggles. Frank honors his mother by donating the family cutlery to the local church and keeping the rest for himself.

Mayor Williams announces plans to improve safety in the Latin Quarter. Frank moves in with Mrs. Vega and reflects on the old days, including stories of Nam hero Klondike Washington. Klondike gives him a pen drive and urges him to keep it safe in Mrs. Vega's old safe.

Klodike goes out to buy liquor and is threatened by two punks. In the ensuing confrontation, Sebastian shoots Klodike, killing him, and the attackers flee the scene. The community feels the rising power of the underworld.

Frank confronts trouble in a liquor shop, beating three punks and earning the store clerk's gratitude for goods he couldn't pay for. Amber Lamps offers him consolation, warning that life in the neighborhood is changing for the worse. The events harden Frank's resolve.

Suspicious of Detective Shah and the official investigation, Frank suspects racial bias is hindering the case. He resolves to uncover the truth himself after watching detectives slacking on TV. He begins gathering clues to break the network of crime and corruption.

Frank finds a strange cartridge and a necklace containing a photograph during a moment of investigation. A boy cautions him not to talk to strangers, and the gun in question is linked to a girl who attends his church. The clues push him toward Renaldo and the broader conspiracy.

Frank locates Renaldo with Tatiana at a massage parlour and presses for information. A man dressed as a Catholic priest attacks them, escalating the danger. The pursuit reveals connections to Klondike’s death and the larger criminal network.

Panther tortures Frank in his garage, echoing Nam experiences. Frank escapes with a lighter, hijacks a bus to chase Panther across the city, and the battle moves toward Amber's home and the LA Market. Frank ultimately defeats Panther in a brutal, climactic fight.

A journalist reveals that Frank exposed a major political corruption case linking the mayor to a terrorizing street gang. Frank is named an honorary police officer, and Malark presents him with a badge. The city recognizes his work, even if the battles remain personal.

Amber and her son join Frank for a celebratory dinner. He declares that day was the best of his life, and her son jokes that he should trim that beard. The moment marks a personal and communal sense of triumph for Frank.