Michael (Sean Nelson), nicknamed "Fresh" by the people in his neighborhood, is a 12-year old boy living in the ghettos of New York. He runs drugs for local dealer Esteban (Giancarlo Esposito) and is unhappy with the dangerous life he leads. He comes from a broken home with a junkie sister Nicole (N'Bushe Wright) and has fleeting moments with his father Sam (Samuel L. Jackson), a homeless alcoholic who spends his time playing speed chess in a park. After witnessing a murder, Fresh becomes the next target. He decides he can stand his ground and leave this life forever, taking his family with him. First, he has to work out how a young kid can outsmart the hardened criminals whose capabilities he knows all too well.