Donnie Rose (Rossif Sutherland) plays a former boxer who is released from prison after serving time for a vicious assault on a Black teen that left the teen physically and mentally disabled. The beating of the teen sparked outrage and further divided the historically segregated city of Halifax. Upon his release from prison, he is surprised by a hero's 'welcome home' party at his brother Keith Rose's ( Greg Bryk) house and other members of the White community in Halifax. While at the party Donnie is confronted by the victim's father George Carvery (Danny Glover) who is holding a gun contemplating shooting Donnie to avenge the assault of his son. After a tense, heated exchange between George and Keith who is wielding a baseball bat, Donnie tells George "Just do what you came here to do" . After contemplating for a few moments George returns to his car and drives back to his mostly African Nova Scotian North End Halifax- area home. At this time, we get the first glance at his family, his wife Ruth Carvery (Tonya Williams) and his mentally and physically challenged son Charles (K. C. Collins). The condition of Charles has an obvious strain on their marriage, as just the sight of Charles condition forces them to come to grips that he will never again lead a 'normal life'.