"The story centers on Caine, a black teenager who grew up amid drugs and guns. In the opening moments he witnesses his friend O-Dog murder an Asian shopkeeper and his wife for change and a glancing insult. Set in contemporary Watts, Caine, O-Dog, Sharif and Stacy hang together in the brutal environment. They sell drugs, get involved in carjacking and wreak violent retribution on those who cross their path. Nonetheless, there are glimmers of hope. Caine is urged to join Stacy, whose football scholarship will take him to Kansas. His sometime g.f., Ronnie, encourages him to join her and her son and go to Atlanta. Mr. Butler, a teacher and Sharif's father, extols the virtues of education in an unsermonizing manner. The problem is Caine is numb and crippled from the pain of his upbringing. Like the Korean couple, he will eventually do the wrong thing at the wrong time and wind up a casualty"--Variety review, May 17, 1993. Portions of the film were filmed at the Jordan Downs housing project in Watts, and at the Jordan High School.