'R Xmas

The film opens with a vivid depiction of urban life during December 1993, as the tenure of Mayor David Dinkins in New York City comes to an end. This setting establishes a backdrop for a story that reveals the contrasts between the city’s affluent facade and the lurking dangers beneath it.

An unnamed Latin-American couple appears to lead a life of luxury, sending their daughter to a prestigious private school and living in a high-rise apartment. However, beneath their polished exterior lies a harsh reality, as they are deeply involved in the criminal world, packaging and selling heroin from their modest apartment in Flushing.

As Christmas approaches, the couple receives a crucial request from the husband’s associate to secure a significant stash of heroin until after the holiday season. This demand reveals the precariousness of their situation and the dangerous entanglement they face in their double life.

On Christmas Eve, the wife steps out of her usual routine and heads to an underground pawnshop to find a rare 'Party Girl' doll for their daughter. Her search is marked by success, but is soon interrupted by a mysterious figure who presents her with her husband’s driver's license, indicating he has been kidnapped.

After learning about her husband's kidnapping, the wife quickly scrambles to gather the first $15,000 needed for his ransom. The situation intensifies as she navigates through the criminal underworld, revealing the desperation and danger she must confront to save him.

Upon returning home with the ransom, the wife is met with a devastating sight: her husband is severely beaten following an encounter with corrupt law enforcement. This shocking revelation underscores the risks associated with their criminal lifestyle and the threats that loom large over them.

The kidnapper, now emboldened by their situation, escalates his demands for ransom, threatening to expose the couple's illegal activities. This new level of peril forces the wife to confront the harsh realities of their life while feeling the weight of isolation without her usual support network.

On Christmas morning, the family's tension briefly dissipates when the husband returns home, and their daughter is ecstatic over her new Party Girl doll. This fleeting moment of relief masks the ongoing turbulence and dangers surrounding their lives as they attempt to celebrate the holidays.

In the aftermath of Christmas, the couple learns disturbing news about police corruption, which connects back to their criminal dealings. This revelation causes the wife to reflect on their circumstances and the broader issues of systemic failings surrounding them, deepening their predicament.

At a lavish party, the husband focuses on his associates, who discuss dealing with a colleague accused of betrayal. He takes a moment to serenade his wife, seemingly ignoring the chaos and dangers that are unfolding around them, embodying a facade of confidence amid turmoil.

Despite the ongoing threat and police revelations, the couple remains determined to uphold their lavish lifestyle. Their choices propel them deeper into peril, highlighting the lengths they will go to maintain their illusions of success amid a crumbling reality.

As the film draws to a close, it offers a chilling reminder of impending change with the mention of Rudolph Giuliani being sworn in as the 107th Mayor of New York City. This closing note suggests a stark shift in the city's landscape and hints at the unraveling of the life the couple has built.