An ex-con moves to L.A. to find work and creates a disturbance by fighting for a position. More importantly he touches the lives of many of his neighbors including an older man dying of cancer, a young married couple whose husband is too proud to accept a lesser position which causes strife with his wife, and a young boy on the verge of getting in trouble with street gangs.

Laurence Fishburne
as Socrates Fortlow

Daniel Williams
as Darryl

Bill Cobbs
as Right Burke

Natalie Cole
as Iula Brown

Laurie Metcalf
as Halley Grimes

Cicely Tyson
as Luvia

Bridgid Coulter
as Corina M'Shalla

Bill Nunn
as Howard M'Shalla

Isaiah Washington
as Wilfred

Bill Duke
as Blackbird Wills