 In order to become a full member of his neighborhood gang Cosey must slash an innocent stranger s face and take one piece of her clothing as a trophy. Keydrick, a senior member of the gang accompanies Cosey to ensure that he caries out the violent rite of passage. The film opens with the two youths sitting nervously in a car in front of a subway stop, as Keydrick keeps watch for an "easy" victim. They spot their mark and Keydrick pushes Cosey to perform the act. Cosey makes his move, grabbing the woman and pulling her to the ground. Optimistically hoping he could get away without causing too much damage, he tries to convince the woman to give him her scarf, but she is panicking and his efforts fail. Before the terrified woman can pull herself together enough to understand Cosey s situation, Keydrick is right behind him, watching. Cosey is left with no way out. He must slash the defenseless woman and run or face uncertain consequences with his peers. In the euphoria that immediately follows Cosey s success, there is a question as to whether the attack is enough to satisfy Keydrick s expectations. Anger quickly takes the place of Cosey s euphoria. Once it becomes clear that his act is indeed sufficient, a sudden wave of depression from an immediate emotional hangover takes hold of Cosey, leaving the audience with a portrait of a boy on the verge of manhood whose internal voices are fighting a war that is draining his emotion