Year: 2017
Runtime: 93 min
Language: English
Director: Jason Zeldes
In Richmond, California, a city struggling with violence, Donté Clark uses poetry to find hope and inspire his community. He and a group of young people create a modern adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, hoping to spark dialogue about the city's pervasive issues. Faced with the harsh realities of their environment, Donté must reconcile his ideals with the challenges around him, and confront the question of whether Richmond will ultimately crush his aspirations or offer a path to healing.
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Jack Grimaldi, an NYPD homicide detective, seemingly lives the dream with a beautiful wife, Natalie and a devoted teenage mistress, Sheri. However, beneath this polished exterior lies a murky underworld of corruption. Jack’s lavish lifestyle is funded through questionable dealings, performing favors for Mafia kingpin Don Falcone in return for substantial cash payouts. His latest assignment involves tracking down [Nick Gazarra], a former mobster turned federal witness, who has gone into hiding. But things take a dark turn when Gazarra and his protective detail fall prey to Mona Demarkov, a cold-blooded hitwoman, leaving Jack to wrestle with the repercussions of his moral failings.
Mona’s subsequent arrest only fuels the fire, as Falcone pushes Jack to eliminate her, fearing she poses a risk not only as potential testimony against him but could also usurp his position in the criminal hierarchy. Still torn between his complex lives, Jack is assigned to ensure Mona’s safe transport to a secure location where federal agents will collect her. However, upon their arrival, Mona quickly turns the tables and seduces him, but her betrayal rears its ugly head as she attempts to kill him. Their passionate entanglement is abruptly ended by the timely intervention of law enforcement, forcing Jack to surrender her into custody.
Falcone’s frustration with Jack mounts, leading to a brutal punishment that sees Jack losing a toe. Faced with the fallout of his double life, Jack instructs Natalie to escape the city, providing her with a hefty sum and detailed instructions on how to find him in the West when it’s safe. He ends his relationship with Sheri, sending her far away, all while trying to track down the elusive Mona, whose cunning and combat skills are formidable. In a shocking twist, she propositions Jack with a lucrative deal: help her fake her own death, and she’ll reward him handsomely.
Despite his efforts to control the situation, Jack quickly finds himself outmatched. Mona cleverly escapes a tight grip, launching a furious counterattack that leads to an intense car chase resulting in a high-speed collision. In the turmoil, she seizes her chance to vanish, leaving chaos in her wake.
As events unfold, Mona orchestrates a string of tragic blunders that culminate in Sheri facing dire consequences. She weaves a web of deception, pinning the crime on her former lover and igniting a disastrous chain reaction that alters lives forever. In a shocking betrayal, Mona betrays Jack to the police, taking advantage of his vulnerabilities and negotiating a plea deal that could imprison him for years to come.
The courtroom clash is fraught with tension as Mona’s foreboding threats loom over Natalie, forcing Jack into a desperate choice. In a moment of panic, he draws a gun, only to find it empty as law enforcement closes in. Feeling utterly defeated, Jack must confront the brutal truths of his situation. A flicker of hope whispers in his ear as he’s offered a second chance under the alias “Jim Daugherty,” promising a fresh start in the distant American West.
As he begins to carve out this new existence, Jack becomes steeped in solitude and despair, plagued by memories of his past, including those he has lost. Each May 1st and December 1st stands as a painful reminder of Natalie and the possibility of reunion slipping further away. His scrapbook, a poignant representation of his love and longing, serves as a bittersweet testament to the fleeting nature of human connections and the persistence of hope amid loss.
Last Updated: November 17, 2024 at 22:30
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