Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: Todd Field
Writer: Alex Conn
Producer: John Malone
Cast: Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Woody Harrelson, Bruce Greenwood, Ellar Coltrane, Bella Thorne, Bailee Madison, Ray Romano, John Magaro
Plot: Jason (Colin Firth) sits in a small suburban bookstore where he is doing a signing of his latest aspirational book to a very modest gathering of readers. As the customers dry up toward the end of the day, Jason stares at his watch, waiting for the scheduled end of the event. Once the time comes, Jason hurriedly grabs his things and shuffles out of the store and out to his car.
Jason pulls into the driveway of his cookie cutter suburban house. When he gets inside, he finds his three sons fighting over a video game controller. Jason plops down on the bed but is quickly disturbed by his wife Jane (Laura Linney). She tells him that he needs to get ready for the Christmas party. Jason sighs and asks why they agreed to go to the thing again. She says it wasn’t her idea since it’s his friend that is throwing the party.
When Jason and Jane arrive at the party, they are greeted by the host, John Abt (Woody Harrelson). Jane excuses herself to get some wine. Jason tries to ask her to get him a drink too, but she’s already on the other side of the room. John introduces Jason to his friend Vincent (Ray Romano), who he explains is his partner in a new business venture. Jason and Jane are clearly bored at the party after a short while, and Jason questions his wife about what the least amount of time they can stay is without seeming rude. Jane jokes that staying for three drinks ought to be long enough. Jason laughs and quickly downs his drink.
Jason and Jane return home and their dog immediately starts trying to jump on them to play. Jason asks Jane if she wants to tell the boys to walk the dog. Jane rounds up their sons and tells them to get the dog ready for a walk. Jane tells Jason that she is going to tag along on the walk to burn off some of the wine from the party and asks Jason if he wants to join them. Jason tells her that he’s simply too tired to do anything else tonight.
Jane and the boys are out on their street walking the dog when a large Chevy Suburban hits all four of them with a loud crash. Jason wakes up from a nap on the couch to flashing lights and loud sirens coming from outside. He wanders outside where he sees his wife and sons lying on the street, bloody and lifeless, as paramedics try to save them. Jason runs over to his family, but he is restrained by a police officer on the scene.
In the morning, Jason is sitting in the waiting room of the hospital speaking with a detective, who tells him that they have arrested the people who committed the hit and run the previous night. Jason asks who they are, and the detective tells him that it was a bunch of drunken high school kids. Jason wants to know what their punishment will be, and the detective says that since they are all under 18 years of age, it will really depend on the judge that oversees the case. Jason grows enraged when a doctor comes out to talk to him. The doctor says that Jane is going to make it with only minor injuries, but that all three of his sons have died. Jason breaks down crying and asks when he can see his wife. The doctor says someone will come and get Jason once she is awake following surgery.
On the morning that Jane returns home from the hospital, Jason reads in the newspaper that the teenagers were only given fines and community service for running down his entire family. He begins angrily venting that the kids probably have rich parents who bought their way out of trouble. Jane tells Jason that she is just as upset about everything that has happened, but that there is no point in getting more angry than necessary about everything. Jason goes out to the garage and begins punching his sons’ punching bag until his hands are bloodied.
John Abt has Jason and Jane over for dinner at his house. He gives them his profuse condolences over dinner and drinks, assuring them if they ever need anything, he will be more than willing to help. Jane thanks Abt for his support, but Jason is sullen throughout the meal. On the drive home Jason and Jane stop their car at a red light. A car pulls up next to them, cranking music and blowing vape smoke out the windows. Jason looks over at them and recognizes the two girls in the car, Ella (Bella Thorne) and Aubry (Bailee Madison), as two of the kids who killed his sons. When the light turns green, the car speeds away. Jason starts following the car. Jane asks what on Earth he is doing, and Jason says that he recognizes the girls in the car from the newspaper.
Jason follows the girls all the way to a house party. He gets out of his car and looks through the window, where he sees another face from the newspaper, Tom (Ellar Coltrane). Jane calls out for Jason to get back in the car, which alerts the teenagers to his presence. Tom yells out that if he doesn’t leave the property, he’ll call the police. Jason says he should be the one calling the police, pointing out the beer bottle in Tom’s hand, stating that they’re obviously drinking underage and he can smell the marijuana smoke from inside. Tom laughs at Jason, saying that his dad is the district attorney, so he’s not worried. Frustrated, Jason goes back to his vehicle and wife and leaves the area.
The next day Jason barges into the office of District Attorney William Mason (Bruce Greenwood). Jason demands to know why the teenagers who recklessly killed his children are facing practically no consequences. Mason comments that he would never lock up teenagers for youthful indiscretions. Jason asks if he’s only saying that because Mason’s son Tom was involved. Mason demands that Jason gets out of his office before he has him arrested. Tom leaves the office, slamming the door so hard behind him that the glass shatters.
That night, Jason is sitting at home drinking when he hears a news report on the television about a disgruntled citizen harassing the district attorney earlier that day and that an investigation is underway. Jason throws the remote at the television, destroying the display, and scaring Jane. Jason’s phone then rings. He decides to answer when he sees it is John Abt. His friend urges him to come over to his house immediately to discuss an important matter.
When Jason arrives at John’s house, John pours him a drink and invites him to have a seat. John asks Jason if it was him that accosted the D.A. earlier that day. Jason simply nods his head. John smiles, saying he thought so. John says that he has been thinking long and hard about how he could possibly help Jason through the difficult time he’s been having, but now finally has an idea of what he can do. Jason stares at John, imploring him to continue. John asks Jason if he remembers his friend Vincent from the Christmas party. Jason nods his head. John explains that Vincent is a very powerful figure in the area and certainly has people in his employ that could perhaps take care of certain young people who have faced zero consequences for killing his children or perhaps a certain district attorney who abused his power to keep his son out of trouble. Jason asks John if he’s serious, and John suggests he set up a meeting where they could discuss such a possible arrangement.
John and Jason meet with Vincent at an Italian restaurant just outside the city. Vincent assures John and Jason that they are able to speak freely about business here since he owns the place. Jason sits by as John explains the entire situation to Vincent, who listens intently. After hearing the Jason’s plight, Vincent agrees to talk to one of his men about helping Jason take care of any individual he wishes.
Jason is at home when his doorbell rings and Jane goes to answer it. The man (John Magaro) at the door asks for Jason. Jane asks who he is, and the man simply says he’s the mechanic. Jane calls Jason to the door. The man tells Jason that Vincent sent him to help Jason with some mechanical issues. Jason walks outside the house and talks to Vincent in the driveway. Jason looks around to make sure no one is near, and then tells the mechanic that he wants Tom Mason killed. The mechanic nods his head. Jason asks if he wants to know why, and the mechanic shakes his head, telling him that Vincent has already told him everything he needs to know.
Tom, Aubry and Ella are all smoking weed in a house. The doorbell rings and Aubry excitedly gets up to answer, commenting that the pizza finally arrived. Tom and Ella take another hit from their bong while Aubry is up. When she answers the door, the mechanic shoots her in the head. He then enters the house and shoots Tom and Ella before they can even get up from the couch. The mechanic then walks out of the house.
The next morning, Jason goes out to get the morning newspaper from his front porch. He immediately notices the newspaper headline about a group of local teenagers being gunned down in what the police believe, based on the amount of drug paraphernalia at the scene, was a drug deal gone wrong.
On the day of Tom’s funeral, Jason goes to the cemetery and watches William Mason and his wife cry from a distance. Jason leaves when he thinks Mason has spotted him. Jason then heads to the Italian restaurant for celebratory drinks with John and Vincent. John asks Jason what his next book is going to be about.
Jason is at a signing for his latest book. This one is at much bigger bookstore and has a much bigger turnout of readers than the signing for his previous book. The line of people wanting their copy of the book, about how to manage grief after the loss of a loved one, leads all the way out the doors of the store. Jason is happily signing copy after copy until he is stunned to see that the next person in line is William Mason. Jason doesn’t know what to say. Mason tells Jason that they may have had a run-in previously, but Jason’s book has helped he and his wife tremendously and he now knows how Jason felt that day in his office. Jason signs Mason’s book and wishes him the best of luck with his grief.
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