Genre: Drama
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Writer: Jimmy Ellis
Cast: Denzel Washington, Joaquin Phoenix, John Goodman, Dennis Quaid, John David Washington, James Wolk, Bruce Greenwood, Lewis Pullman, Mike Colter, Alexandra Shipp
Plot: 1989 – Franklin Autry (John David Washington) is walking down a street by himself, with grocery bags in hand, he walks past a group of men, throwing out racial slurs. He pays them no mind and continues walking. A police siren is heard, and a man rolls down his window and asks where he is going. Franklin tells him that he is going home to his wife, the policeman says ok but to get home quickly, he leaves him be. Franklin walks home, with disgust and a smile on his face at the same time, he is sick of being treated different. He speaks to himself, about how he will romance his wife tonight. He arrives home and walks up the driveway, he uses a key to open the door and calls out to Margaret. He gets no answer, but hears his baby daughter’s cries, he has a surprised look on his face, he walks to the kitchen, and sees his (white) wife, and he drops the groceries and cries, lunging down to his wife, who is covered in blood. He hugs and kisses her, a gun is lying next to him, as the door is broken down. Policemen come in and see him in despair, they aim their guns at him and tell him to slowly lie on the ground. One officer, Jake Finch (James Wolk) walks up to Franklin and his wife, he shakes his head, and tears begin to well in his eyes, then he spits on Franklin, he proceeds to grab his baton out of his holster and swings at Franklin multiple times as the other officers look on. They pick him up and take him away. Jake looks and finds a briefcase, he opens it and finds a boat load of cash. He takes the briefcase for himself.
Franklin wakes up bloody and bashed in his holding cell. He gets down on both knees and prays that he does not die from the hands of the officers. An officer sits back in his seat and looks at Franklin praying, with racial slurs he tells him to get back on his metal bed, he has a visitor soon.
His visitor shows up, his lawyer, Bill Seaborn (Lewis Pullman). Bill asks to speak to his client in private. They get their own private room and the two get to speaking. It just so happens that Bill is Franklin’s neighbour. Bill knows that Franklin didn’t kill his wife, he loved her. Franklin knows this, but says for Bill to think. Franklin says, with a tense face, he knows the only way he will avoid the death penalty is if he pleads guilty. Bill tries to warn him against it, however Franklin’s made up his mind. He tells Bill to think about it properly. A black man walks into the courtroom accused of killing his white wife, they don’t need evidence, the jury will find him guilty, over and over again, no matter how many times they see this happen, they will say guilty. Bill asks if he is sure, Franklin has his head in his hands and sobs, he says that he loved her, she would not want him dead and the only way to do that is to plead guilty.
Jake Finch is at home with a glass of whiskey in hand sitting on a lounge. He grabs a photo frame and stares at it, the photo turns out to be one of Jake and his sister (Franklin’s wife), he never approved of his sister marrying a Black Man, and he didn’t even go to their wedding. He looks at the briefcase and walks out the back of his house. He puts the briefcase in a tree after taking some money out for him to keep. He thinks to himself out loud that he should make Franklin’s life a living hell.
Sitting in front of the judge is Franklin and Bill, they are asked what they plead, Bill looks at Franklin as he is distraught he whispers to him to ask if he is sure, Franklin nods. Lewis looks to the judge and says that his client pleads GUILTY! The judge looks down and shakes his head, he sentences Franklin to 40 years in prison, with good behaviour he will be out in 30. The policemen come and pick him up from his chair and put him in the back of the police car to deliver him to the prison.
Franklin enters the prison and is told to place all his things in a tub and hand it over, he does so and is given a blue jumpsuit. He is polite in thanking the man handing it over and the man scoffs. He is taken into his cell without a cellmate, they say that no-one is to be with him. The officers throw him in, lock the cell and walk away. Only a few moments later the cell door swings back open and in walks Jake with a baton in hand he closes the cell to lock himself inside as he has other officers stand guard to make sure no other prisoner sees. Franklin asks how he is here, Jake replies saying he asked for the transfer to be a guard at the prison. As Jake swings the baton he vows that he won’t let Franklin leave this prison.
Franklin wakes up and sits on his bed, the camera focuses on his face that is bruised and bloody from the beating.
March 22nd 2019 – Franklin Autry (Denzel Washington) sits on his bed face bruised and bloody, he looks out of the cell at the prison guard, he yells out to him and it turns out it is Jake Finch (John Goodman). Franklin reminds him that he is free in a month to which Jake just ignores. Jake then stands straighter as Warden Giles (Dennis Quaid) walks by and looks at Franklin, he enters his cell. He sits down opposite Franklin and tells him he knows that he is being released in a month if all goes well, Franklin knows that there will be a ‘but’ coming, Giles says that the other cells are full this is the only one free, Franklin asks him to get to the point. Giles continues and says that he is getting a new cellmate, Leyon Cendrillion. He adds that he is coming right now. The cell is opened and in comes Leyon Cendrillion (Joaquin Phoenix). Franklin tries to introduce himself but is brushed off by Leyon. Giles leaves and wishes him luck. Franklin continues trying to talk with Leyon, but Leyon continues brushing him off.
It's meal time and Franklin walks out to the cafeteria. They line up and are given their food, Franklin takes his seat with no-one around him. Leyon finds a seat on the other side of the cafeteria, to which Franklin stares and questions something in his head. A big man walks up to Franklin, and tells him that he is dead. Franklin looks up to him and says that he is not quite sure about that one. He continues talking to the big man, this starts to annoy the big man and he goes to punch Franklin. The hand is caught by Zion Washington (Mike Colter) who squeezes the man’s hand until he is on the ground seething with pain. Zion tells the big guy to never mess with Franklin again. Zion takes a seat next to Franklin. Franklin asks him how his reading is going. Zion says that thanks to Franklin he can actually read a book. Franklin gets a book out of his pocket ‘The Dreams of Ada’, he tells Zion that he has read it and it is an intriguing book, he hands it over to Zion and tells him that it is now his. Zion is welcoming to the book and thanks Franklin. Leyon is looking over at Zion and Franklin and is interested. A man walks up to Leyon and demands his food, calling him fresh meat. Leyon slides the food over and the man tries to take it but Leyon slams his head into the table, the cafeteria goes silent and they all look over at Leyon who walks back to his cell talking to himself. Franklin looks to Zion and tells him to read up, he then leaves to follow Leyon back to the cell.
Leyon is sitting on his bed talking to himself, Franklin stands at the door and asks what he did. Leyon seems to not hear him and continues speaking to himself. Franklin begins talking anyway and tells him why he is here. He says that he pleaded guilty to killing his own wife. He says that he did not do it but it was the only way to live. Leyon looks up to Franklin and paces around the cell. He says he was sitting in his living room and heard a voice in his head. He said it told him to do it. Franklin asks do what. Leyon stares at Franklin, “He told me not to say.” Franklin asks him who told him. Leyon walks to the wall and begins punching it, then turning around to Franklin and walks towards him, his voice gets deeper and says, “I did.” Franklin begins to panic a bit but tries to calm Leyon down by repeating Leyon’s name and saying that he can help. Leyon’s deeper voice says they don’t need help but his normal voice tries taking over and succeeds. Leyon apologises to Franklin and says that he killed his own wife. He stabbed her over and over until she was dead. Franklin is shocked but he is in prison. Franklin tells Leyon of his story, how he was walking home from the supermarket and he walked inside all he could hear was his baby daughter’s cries. He looked around the corner and a pool of blood surrounded his wife, so he went down to hug her and the police came in and they beat him. He says that he needed to plead guilty because the Death Penalty was still around, he would have gotten it for sure even when he was innocent. He finishes by saying that, nobody is innocent, not unless they ask for forgiveness, but everyone has done something in their life. Jake knocks on the cell and tells Franklin that he has a visitor.
Franklin walks out to the visiting room, he notices who it is visiting and gives a huge smile, and it is Bill Seaborn (Bruce Greenwood). He hugs Bill and says that it has been too long. Bill says he is sorry but he has been busy, he wishes he could visit more. Franklin understands as he knows Bill has recently gotten a grandchild. The two talk about what has been going on with each other’s lives. Franklin says he taught a young black man to read and that he has a new cellmate. Bill reassures Franklin that when he gets out if he needs a place to stay to give him a call. Jake walks over and calls Franklin a filthy animal and tells him to get back to the cell. Jake walks him back and along the way reminds Franklin about what he said 30 years ago. Jake tells him he won’t be getting out of here. Franklin says that he will see his daughter again.
Leyon is pulled out of his cell by Jake and taken to a secluded room. Jake gives him an offer, he says that Jake wants Leyon to kill Franklin, his cellmate. Jake tells him that there is a huge amount of cash at an abandoned house, he tells him the address. Leyon maniacally asks why he doesn’t just give money to a family member, Jake says his whole family are n******, especially his niece that low life scum, he says he hasn’t even wanted to talk to her. Jake tells him to do it and he will cover it up as a suicide, and he will make sure that Leyon gets out on good behaviour.
It’s time for lights out and Franklin starts praying, Leyon gives him a weird look and Franklin can feel he is being stared at. He opens one eye and asks Leyon what he wants. In his deeper voice Leyon says that he never got the whole praying thing, how can someone go there who lives believing in something with no proof. Franklin replies in saying belief is what keeps him going, what keeps him alive, the belief if getting out of prison. Leyon now in his normal voice asks if it works, the praying. Franklin says that it can. Jake knocks on the cell and yells at them to go to sleep, he abuses Franklin.
April 21st 2019 – A day before his release Franklin is walking around the prison looking for Zion, he wants to know how he went with reading ‘The Dreams of Ada’. He eventually finds Zion reading in the courtyard while other men do weights. He asks how he is going with the book and Zion replies to him saying that he has actually already read it, this is his second time through. Franklin laughs and asks if he can borrow the book so Leyon can read it, Zion hands the book over and tells Franklin to make sure Leyon will give it back. Franklin walks backwards and accidently bumps into Jake Finch, Jake whispers to him that he isn’t getting out of here. Franklin just laughs and tells Jake that he will be watching him walk out of here. Franklin heads back to the cell that he has shared with Leyon for almost a month.
When Franklin arrives at the cell he can here Leyon talking to himself fluctuating from his deep voice and normal voice. His deep voice tells him that he isn’t going to let him do it. His normal voice says that he is going to do it and that he (the deep voice) cannot stop him. He yells in a deep voice and startles himself jumping back into his bed. Franklin walks in and speaks softly to Leyon reassuring him who he is. Franklin asks Leyon what he wants to do. He tells him that all he wants to do is pray. Leyon believes that if he prays the voice will go, he calls the voice… The Devil. Franklin doesn’t know why he just doesn’t pray, Leyon explains that he is waiting for the right time to do it. Franklin hands Leyon the book and asks him if he has read it before. Leyon replies and says that he has never read anything before, he can’t read. Franklin tells him that he will teach him, for one day.
We get different scenes one after the other of Franklin teaching Leyon how to read. Leyon begins to get frustrated and his deeper voice comes out and tells Franklin to stop. Franklin doesn’t stop and tells Leyon to fight it, to fight the voice. He does so and continues reading. Franklin starts smiling and calls Leyon a natural.
The night comes and Leyon excited tells Franklin that he finished the book, Franklin thought it was quick but tells him to return it to Zion. Franklin introduces him to Zion and the two get along straight away. Leyon goes to use the toilet and Franklin tells Zion about Leyon’s split personality. Zion is a bit put back by it but Franklin tells him to just reassure Leyon of who he is. Franklin asks Zion to look after Leyon when he goes, to which Zion agrees to Franklin’s delight. Leyon returns and Franklin leaves the two alone to get to know a bit about each other. When he leaves however Leyon in his deep voice thanks him, which is a surprise to Franklin, the deep voice never liked him. He walks past Jake and Jake reminds him he will never leave this prison.
April 22nd – The Day of Franklin’s Release – Franklin arises from his sleep, Leyon is already up and staring creepily at Franklin. Franklin is a little startled by him. Leyon asks for one last favour, he wants Franklin to teach him to pray. Franklin shows him to get on his knees, close his eyes and join his hands. Leyon asks what to pray for, he tells him to pray for whatever he wants, for forgiveness. He says that at the end he needs to say Amen to sign off to God. A moment of silence ensues, and Leyon finishes by saying Amen. Franklin asks how he feels and his response is that he feels like a huge load has been taken off his back. A knock on the cell tells Franklin that it’s time to go, Leyon follows him out to say goodbye, Zion follows too.
At the last door that the prisoners can go to Franklin turns around and hugs Zion, he turns to Leyon and Leyon sticks out his hand for a shake, Franklin knocks his hand out of the way and hugs him. He turns to the door and sees Jake he waves goodbye. Unexpectedly Jake grabs a gun and pulls it on Franklin, he says that he told him he isn’t getting out. The other officers try to grab Jake to stop the gun, Zion lands a huge punch onto Jake’s chin, the gun goes off… Leyon dives in front of Franklin taking the full force of the bullet. Zion continues the beat down on Jake. Franklin turns Leyon onto his back, Leyon reaches towards him and Franklin holds his hand close to his chest. Franklin yells to get help, but Leyon tells him to be quiet. He tells him he wants to whisper something. Franklin gets closer to Leyon’s mouth, Leyon tells him that he is his greatest friend. He also tells him that he has learned of hidden money, he tells him the address. He continues telling Franklin to take it to Franklin’s daughter, give her a good life. Franklin looks him in the eyes and asks what it’s like… to die. Leyon says it feels like Freedom, and lets out his last gasp, bleeding out. Franklin stands and starts walking out of the prison, he looks over at a bloody Jake Finch and looks at him in disgust, he tells Zion to stop, that he is not worth it. He says goodbye and walks out the door.
Franklin is a free man and arrives at the address Leyon had told him, he walks to the tree out in the backyard and reaches in, he feels around and finds a briefcase, and he pulls it out and opens it to find a large amount of cash.
He approaches an old rundown house, and puts the briefcase on the verandah, placing a piece of paper on top of it. He rings the doorbell and walks away. Nia (Alexandra Shipp) walks out to the verandah with a young baby in hand, she wonders why no-one was at the door, but she sees the briefcase and the letter. A voiceover from Franklin reading the letter, is on the same time as footage of Franklin with a rope behind him, he sits on a chair and looks at a photo of his wife and daughter. He kisses the photograph and stands on the chair with a smile on his face, he places the rope around his neck and kicks the chair over. His limp body hangs as the voiceover of the letter finishes.
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