 A distressed woman, Brenda Martin (Julianne Moore) arrives severely injured to the hospital, telling to the police that she got car jacked, and the delinquents have kidnapped her 4-year-old son. Lorenzo (Samuel L. Jackson), a black police detective, hears Brenda s story and take the case, during a night when is taking place a silent protest of mothers, whom have suffered in the past the disappearance of their children. The police is blaming a black man of the kidnapping, which causes a big-mass protest of the black community. The task is though for Lorenzo, who must deal with the case and with the pressure of the protest. But something is missed in the story told by Brenda and after having received the help of the group of mothers in the search, it seems that Brenda is ready to confess a disturbing truth.