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New to Sunrise Hills, David and Jean meet their neighbors: Herman Kreitzer, Troy Boone, Jerry Flagg and their wives. The introduction hints at a self-satisfied suburban dream, but it also foreshadows the tensions simmering beneath the surface. The mix of professions among the first impressions sets up potential conflicts and alliances to come.

Leola, Troy's restless wife, openly expresses her desire to have a child, exposing a thread of personal dissatisfaction. Troy remains focused on his political ambitions, insisting that they won't discuss family until he secures the police chief job. Their conversation hints at growing strain in their marriage.

Troy pursues the police chief job, aiming to climb the local hierarchy. He refuses to discuss family plans until he wins the position, signaling a priority shift away from domestic matters. The pursuit fuels a sense of entitlement that will clash with others later.

Jerry Flagg, increasingly in debt and often drunk, begins making passes at the other men's wives and humiliating his own wife Isabelle. He also propagates big-money schemes and pressures a family to buy a car beyond their means, threatening his own job stability. The behavior sows resentment and foreshadows a broader moral unraveling in the neighborhood.

David wrestles with money problems while Jean urges him to switch to a more lucrative sales path. David is a skilled engineer who prefers his craft, creating tension between his talents and financial pressures. The couple's dynamic highlights the economic strains that ripple through the community.

Herman Kreitzer's employee Iko wants to move into Sunrise Hills with his wife, seeking the suburban life many neighbors value. Yet Herman's wife worries about inviting potential backlash from the town and resisting giving Iko a reference. The scene underscores the era's racial bias and the fragile calculus of reputations in a tight-knit community.

The city council president informs Troy that he cannot be police chief due to a lack of education. The denial punctuates Troy's escalating resentment and fuels his insecurity. The moment reveals the broader social gatekeeping that shapes the neighborhood's power dynamics.

In a drunken rage, Troy assaults Jean, shocking their friends and neighbors. David confronts Troy and is beaten in the ensuing confrontation, escalating the violence. The incident becomes the fateful catalyst that unsettles the entire community and tests loyalties.

During an altercation with Leola, she makes the decision to leave Sunrise Hills. The confrontation crystallizes the fault lines in the neighborhood and pushes characters toward abrupt changes. Leola departs, marking a turning point for the community.

Troy is accidentally pinned under his own car in the aftermath of the earlier disturbance. By the time the car is lifted, he is dying in Jean's arms, a dramatic culmination of the violence and tension that has built up. The tragedy abruptly shifts the neighborhood's focus toward loss and consequences.

With Troy's death and Leola's departure, the remaining neighbors reassess their lives and reconsider their priorities. The event forces each person to confront what truly matters beyond status, debt, and social appearances. The film closes on a note of uneasy reflection and future uncertainty.