Young American Dream

Attempting to reverse the disheartening memories of his late father, Eric, an AmerAsian graduate, assumes a younger athlete's identity to take back his one last year of college baseball. Along with Danny, another graduate hiding his true identity, Eric battles his way onto the team, eying the attention of the professional scouts. But along his journey, he develops an unexpectedly close connection with head Coach Pierce, a man who still suffers from the devastating loss of his son. Once an innocent friendship blossoms with Amy, the team's assistant athletic trainer, Eric's honesty, integrity, and loyalty grow severely compromised; so he distances himself from her, in an effort to deny his mounting guilt. As the big Easter Tournament approaches, Eric bonds with his closest rival, Tommy, and establishes himself as a team leader through relentless work ethic, but in the process, is alienated by Danny and Amy, whose lives take reckless turns. Struggling through physical, emotional, and spiritual adversity, Eric winds up on the same field opposite a pair of racist enemies from his dark past. Now he is forced to watch Coach Pierce suffer another tragic loss -- or play in a game that threatens to bring his career, and his freedom, to an abrupt end. —Roger Lim