Elwood Curtis' college dreams are shattered when he's sentenced to a brutal reformatory in the Jim Crow South. Clinging to his optimistic worldview, Elwood strikes up a friendship with a fellow Black teen who dispenses fundamental tips for survival.

Elwood Curtis' college dreams are shattered when he's sentenced to a brutal reformatory in the Jim Crow South. Clinging to his optimistic worldview, Elwood strikes up a friendship with a fellow Black teen who dispenses fundamental tips for survival.