Adopted from the war-torn country of Eritrea, Luce Edgar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) is not just any typical high school student; he is an esteemed athlete and a remarkable debater who has won the admiration of his peers as well as his parents, Peter (Tim Roth) and Amy Edgar (Naomi Watts). However, beneath this picture-perfect facade lies a deep-seated animosity toward his history teacher, Harriet Wilson (Octavia Spencer). This resentment is fueled by an incident where Harriet reported his friend, DeShaun (Astro), leading to his removal from the running team after discovering marijuana in his locker.
One day, while at work, Amy receives a concerning call from Harriet, prompting an urgent meeting at the school. During this meeting, Harriet presents a troubling essay Luce wrote for a class assignment, where students were asked to express their thoughts from the perspective of a historical figure. Luce's choice of Frantz Fanon—a revolutionary figure advocating for the violent overthrow of colonialism—raises significant alarm for Harriet, given Luce's background as a former child soldier. In addition, Harriet reveals to Amy that she discovered illegal fireworks in Luce's locker, heightening the tension.
Unsettled by these revelations, Amy and Peter decide to keep the matter from Luce. During dinner, the family discusses Harriet again, and Luce perceives her as someone who unfairly targets students for her personal agenda. He references Stephanie Kim (Andrea Bang), a classmate with a painful past, arguing that he doesn’t want to be merely labeled as a token representation of his race. The following day, Luce speaks to Harriet about his essay, emphasizing that he was merely fulfilling the assignment without any genuine intent to endorse violence. However, Harriet misinterprets his comment about the fireworks as a threat, leading her to inform Peter.
A confrontation ensues between Luce and his parents over the fireworks and his supposed threat, but Luce insists that the fireworks do not belong to him, adding complexity to the situation. Meanwhile, Harriet is grappling with her sister Rosemary (Marsha Stephanie Blake), who struggles with mental illness. Their encounter with Luce leaves Harriet feeling shaken, especially as Rosemary has a breakdown that leads to a dramatic police intervention.
As events unfold, Amy learns from Stephanie about her traumatic experience and that Luce was present at the party, further complicating her perception of Luce. The situation worsens when a shocking incident involving Rosemary occurs at school, followed by Harriet’s home being vandalized and accusations against Luce surfacing. Harriet informs school principal Towson (Norbert Leo Butz) and a tense meeting with Luce and his parents is scheduled.
Despite Harriet’s accusations against Luce, video evidence presented by him turns the tides against her, causing friction between Harriet and the Edgars. When discussing the fireworks incident, Amy lies to protect Luce, further straining Harriet's professional standing. The tension culminates as fireworks mysteriously explode in Harriet’s desk, resulting in her dismissal due to suspicion of wrongdoing.
While grappling with the fallout, Luce chooses to confront Harriet, voicing how her actions negatively impacted his friend DeShaun's career and how he feels stereotyped by her. As Luce's relationship with Stephanie takes a turn, Amy senses something amiss, leading her to confront the unsettling reality of her son’s actions. Ultimately, Luce's duality surfaces as he publicly praises his parents while secretly dealing with inner turmoil. The film weaves a complex narrative of race, identity, and the pressures of societal expectations.
