Harlem, NY, 1986. From behind the counter of the dry cleaner where he works, Ace (Wood Harris) longingly covets the expensive cars and flashy clothes of his friends, Mitch (Mekhi Phifer) and Calvin (Kevin Carroll). But with a chance encounter, Ace’s world is about to dramatically change. On a routine laundry drop-off, Ace meets Lulu (Esai Morales), whose apartment and elaborate jewelry hint at a life of luxury. Ace is quickly lured into the seductive world of drug dealing, where the easy money affords him a position of power in the illicit underworld. But as his friends and family become pawns and victims, Ace realizes that he must pay a high price for his growing success.