Derek Luke gives an electrifying performance as Patrick Chamusso, a young apolitical man who works at the oil refinery and provides for his family.  He goes out of his way to make no trouble.  But trouble finds him when he is falsely accused of  carrying out an attack against the government.  An overzealous white officer, Nic Vos, played by Tim Robbins makes turning the Chamusso family’s life upside down his number one priority.  Bonnie Henna plays the character of Precious Chamusso in such a sincere manner that makes you root for her.  The viewer learns to love her despite her mounting insecurities against her husband.

Patrick admits to the crime just so his family can be left alone.  He is tortured and dehumanized and eventually freed after the police conclude that he is indeed innocent.  But a fire that lay dormant in Patrick has been lit from the ordeal and he joins the African National Congress to become a freedom fighter for his country.  He is fueled by a rage that seeks revenge against the government for killing his friend, tormenting his wife and turning his life upside down.

Patrick is eventually caught by Vos and sent to prison for 25 years.  Vos’ ally comes from an unlikely source.  This story sets out to show the two sides of apartheid.  Patrick and his family are shown as a close knit family and so is the family of Nic Vos.  The two families are fighting for something very different. 

The heart of this story is that of forgiveness.  Patrick Chamusso had to go to prison for 25 years to learn to forgive Nic Vos, his opressor and also to forgive the person he trusted the most that gives him away.  It is because of this change of heart that Patrick decides against killing Vos when he is released from prison and their paths cross.