A Score to Settle 2019

As Frank Carver stepped out of the prison gates in 2020, he was not just leaving a physical confinement behind; he carried with him the heavy burden of a tumultuous past. Nineteen long years had elapsed since Max, the merciless mob enforcer, had ordered the execution of a former confidant, framing Frank as the unsuspecting scapegoat. In return for a six-year prison sentence and the promise to look after his son Joey after the tragic death of Lorraine, Frank accepted the blame. Yet, fate twisted cruelly, extending his time behind bars into a life sentence.

Upon his release, Frank was faced with a grim reality: his health was deteriorating due to a serious case of insomnia that threatened his very existence. As he ventured into the outside world, he discovered the grim circumstances that Joey, now a young man, was grappling with. Joey had transformed from a boy into a struggling recovering addict, burdened with debts from his past. With a heart full of remorse and a desire for redemption, Frank made a solemn vow to reclaim the time they had lost.

Their emotional reunion took place at the old Carver family home, where a serendipitous discovery of a forgotten $450,000 bounty from years ago shifted their fortunes. Although Joey was initially hesitant, his yearning for connection with his father sparked hope, leading them to embark on a journey to mend their fractured lives. That evening, amid the glimmering lights of a lavish hotel, Frank defied medical advice and sought out Q, an old acquaintance who had distanced himself from the criminal past.

Now the proud owner of a thriving bar, Q extended an olive branch, acknowledging their shared history. The next day, father and son set off on a path of rediscovery, indulging in life’s luxuries—bespoke suits, high-speed sports cars, and the latest technology. However, this newfound joie de vivre was soon interrupted by Trip, a clever pimp aiming to draw them into his web. With instincts honed from years in the underworld, Frank diplomatically declined his mentoring.

Inside their hotel suite, Joey pushed Frank into a flirtation with Simone, a mysterious woman whose true identity as a prostitute would soon surface. That night, as they shared an intimate moment, Frank opened up about his pact with Max and the oppressive weight it imposed on him. Slowly, Simone began to see the wounded soul beneath Carver’s troubled exterior.

As darkness descended, Frank fixated on finding Jimmy, Max’s second-in-command, pursuing him to a disreputable massage parlor. Yet Jimmy proved slippery, escaping just as Frank was ready to claim his revenge. The following morning, Frank shared with Joey that he remained tethered to the criminal world, pushing Joey to turn his back on him in disappointment. Unrelenting, Frank initiated a violent spree, taking out one of Max’s henchmen, Tank, at a butcher shop. Completely worn out, he collapsed in his hotel suite only to be confronted by Trip, who demanded payment, asserting that Simone was once under his control. With a volatile mix of fear and defiance, Frank intimidated Trip, causing him to flee in terror.

Soon after, Joey reached out to Frank, having succumbed to a drug relapse. In a moment of vulnerability, Frank came to his rescue, mending the rift between them. They paid tribute at Lorraine’s grave, and amid their grieving, Frank stumbled upon a headstone marked with Joey’s name, revealing a shocking truth: Joey was a mere figment of Frank’s imagination—a painful reminder that Max had brutally silenced the real Joey to protect his secrets. Nevertheless, Joey’s spirit continued to implore Frank to return home.

Determined to confront his past demons, Frank tracked down Max to an assisted living facility, where the infamous crime lord had lain in a coma for the past fifteen years. Surprisingly, Frank chose to spare Max’s life, leaving behind the bloody baseball bat that had instrumentally ended Joey’s life. Just as he was making his exit, an orderly chillingly informed him that only Q had visited Max before him, raising unsettling questions about loyalty and betrayal.

Frank’s journey then led him to a nearby church, where Q’s daughter was about to get married. In a desperate bid to reclaim his life, Frank took the couple hostage, forcing Q to confess his role in orchestrating Joey’s murder. According to Q, the true threat was Joey’s spiral into addiction, which endangered the whole gang. In a moment of dramatic tension, Frank spared Q’s life, but not without consequence, as Q’s daughter fatally shot him in the back during the turmoil.

As law enforcement encroached, Frank resolved to make a final stand, refusing to yield even as fatal wounds accumulated. Lying on the church steps, he was soon visited by Joey’s spirit, guiding him gently into the afterlife as he succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind a legacy of love, pain, and redemption.