After trying and failing to seduce her teacher, 16-year-old Alex runs away from her boarding school. Trying to seek out the biological father her mother has always kept hidden from her.
It's Christmas Eve in Los Angeles, and hardworking Gabby, her husband and their two kids, Amber and TJ, are fresh from Mississippi to spend Christmas with her mother and brother. With her mother dying, the family wanted to spend one last Christmas together. Over the course of two days, Gabby uncovers the truth about her wayward husband, defends herself against her sick, judgmental mom, widens the gap between her pre-teen daughter and herself, and faces a potential job loss.
Tommy is a troubled young man with a history of crime. When he meets Memaw, an elderly lady, the two form a special bond with Memaw encouraging Charlie to sing in the local church choir, a talent he has ignored until now. While Charlie excels in church, his old friend G. Smooth remains skeptical and stays on the streets.
Gunnery Sergeant Burns reports for duty to an American Embassy in the Middle East. However due to the 'enlightened' views of the Ambassador, the marine security detachment he is in charge of is severely restricted in their functions and presence to avoid upsetting the host government. As a result, when terrorists attack the compound, they are able to kidnap hostages and escape with little opposition. Burns ignores the Ambassador's restrictions, and throws the rule books out the window, as he becomes a one man army in an attempt to rescue the hostages, and wipe out the terrorists.
Writer-director Robert Wheaton’s story of a shy guy, Mark (Parros), trying all the wrong moves to meet the right girl rides high on a romantic sensibility. Although at first it’s hard to imagine the handsome Mark having trouble with the ladies, Parros gives a charming performance as the nice guy who finishes last. UCLA’s north campus features prominently as this would-be Romeo’s ever-hopeful hunting ground.
