Editing Jason's Lyric (section)

== Plot ==
As children, brothers Jason and Joshua Alexander witnessed the fatal shooting of their abusive father, Mad Dog ([[Forest Whitaker]]), one night when he came home drunk and [[domestic violence|attacked]] their mother. Said tragedy leaves deep scars and prompts them to choose different paths in their future. Jason ([[Allen Payne]]) becomes a responsible young man who works as an assistant manager and [[retail clerk|sales clerk]] in a Houston [[electronic store|electronic shop]] and lives with his hard-working mom, Gloria ([[Suzzanne Douglas]]). Joshua ([[Bokeem Woodbine]]) has just been released from [[prison]]. Previously traumatized by his late father, he has become a volatile, disturbed ex-con. Jason and Gloria try their best to make Joshua repent and change his ways, but he has difficulties staying out of trouble with both law and authority.

One day in the middle of Jason's working hour, a waitress named Lyric ([[Jada Pinkett Smith|Jada Pinkett]]) comes to buy a [[television]]. [[Love at first sight|Falling instantly in love with her]], Jason begins to pursue her. At first, Lyric rejects Jason's attempts to get closer to her due to her cynicism of men, but his persistence, sincerity, kindness, and humor eventually win her over. They grow closer and end up [[sexual intercourse|making love]] in the [[forest|woods]] that magically turn into a flower field. Despite his improved and meaningful life since [[dating]] Lyric, Jason is still haunted by multiple episodic [[nightmare]]s of his childhood.

Meanwhile, Lyric's criminal older brother, Alonzo ([[Treach]]), plans to [[bank robbery|rob a bank]] with his gang and Joshua joins in. Lyric overhears their conversation and tells Jason. She warns Jason not to cross her brother, and he promises her to only talk to Joshua, followed by offering her a way to escape town together. Lyric delightfully accepts and they agree to meet at the bayou. The following day, the robbery goes wrong as Joshua arrives late. Even worse, he escalates the situation by independently assaulting one of the bank customers, although he escapes with the gang before the police arrive. As punishment for botching the plan, Joshua is brutally [[torture]]d by Alonzo and his gang. Back at home, as Jason informs his mom about his and Lyric's plan to move away together, Joshua returns severely wounded. Enraged, Jason breaks his promise to Lyric by confronting Alonzo, ensuing a vicious fight in a [[public restroom]].

Jason reluctantly calls off his and Lyric's plan, reasoning that Joshua would always need him. When she furiously questions him about the nightmares that tie him to keep saving his ungrateful brother, Jason eventually opens up about the childhood incident that left him a lifetime of haunting guilt: After a young Joshua pointed his mother's gun at a drunken Mad Dog to stop him, Jason wrestled it away from him, inadvertently killing Mad Dog himself. Having finally understood his [[PTSD|lifelong trauma]], Lyric comforts Jason. Nevertheless, she advises him to walk away from Joshua if he wants them to stay together.

Later in the evening, Joshua is preparing a [[gun]] in a bar while Jason starts packing at home after earning his mom's blessing to be with Lyric. Unbeknownst to Joshua, their good friend Rat ([[Eddie Griffin]]) notices him from the same bar and realizes his intentions. Rat informs Jason about Joshua's attempt to kill Alonzo and anyone connected to him, including Lyric, as revenge. Joshua arrives at Lyric's house and [[murder|shoots down]] Alonzo's two crew members before taking her hostage. Jason races there and finds Joshua holding Lyric at gunpoint, demanding Alonzo's whereabouts as well as venting his jealousy towards her for taking away his older brother. The two brothers engage in a heated argument until Jason becomes fed up with his brother's continual selfishness and disregard for others' well-being that he draws his gun on Joshua to teach him a lesson. Unfortunately, Joshua accidentally shoots Lyric in the shoulder. Horrified and devastated, Jason tearfully tends to the injured and unconscious Lyric, and chooses to walk away from Joshua for good. Feeling abandoned, Joshua loses his will to live and [[suicide|shoots himself]], in earshot of everyone outside. Though heartbroken, Jason carries Lyric to the waiting [[ambulance]].

The film ends with Jason and the newly-recovered Lyric riding on a bus together, now earning their freedom to start a new life.