Mea Culpa 2024

Chicago-based Mea Harper (Kelly Rowland) is facing a tumultuous period in her life as she and her husband Kal (Sean Sagar) attend marital counseling due to infidelity issues and Kal’s possessive mother, Azalia (Kerry O’Malley). Mea expresses that Kal is burdened with guilt since Azalia has been diagnosed with cancer, and to add to the strain, he lost his job eight months ago.

During a restaurant celebration for Azalia’s birthday, the matriarch’s relentless criticism surfaces when she shamefully suggests that Kal should remarry, pushing Mea’s buttons as she introduces her to Kal’s friend Jenna (Arianna Barron), declaring her a preferable daughter-in-law. Tension escalates when Mea discovers that Kal sold a beloved piano behind her back to purchase an extravagant watch for Azalia, deepening their marital strife.

Meanwhile, Mea’s brother-in-law, Ray (Nick Sagar), an assistant district attorney, makes a scene by announcing he must dispose of some paintings by the charismatic artist Zyair Malloy (Trevante Rhodes), as he is preparing to prosecute Zyair for the murder of his girlfriend Hydie. As a skilled defense lawyer, Mea feels compelled to help Zyair, who unexpectedly walks into her office to plead his case, disregarding social boundaries. He claims Ray holds a personal grudge against him, for reasons unknown to him. Despite her connection to Ray, Mea promises to review Zyair’s case.

After a weightlifting session with Charlise ([Shannon Thornton]), who warns against the conflict of interest, Mea decides to pursue Zyair’s defense, especially under the financial pressures they face—Kal being unemployed and the mounting bills from Azalia’s untreated cancer. The situation deteriorates as Kal’s substance abuse issues complicate their finances further, leading him to confront her vehemently about Zyair.

Determined to maintain control over her legal practice, Mea visits Zyair’s loft-artist studio to discuss the case’s overwhelming evidence against him, including damning DNA and physical evidence linking him to the crime scene. Zyair recounts a passionate relationship with Hydie, illuminating the difference between his previous relationships and what happened with her, dismissing accusations of wrongdoing.

As familial pressures intensify, with Azalia and others discouraging her involvement in Zyair’s case—especially since Ray is campaigning for mayor—Mea becomes more resolute. She consults with her friend and private investigator Jimmy (RonReaco Lee), who uncovers disturbing truths about Zyair’s past relationships, causing her to waver on her convictions.

Resisting a burgeoning attraction toward Zyair, and frustrated by Kal’s increasing involvement with Jenna, Mea’s professional decisions take a toll on her personal life. A disastrous affair with Zyair occurs after she misconstrues Jimmy’s information regarding Kal, further complicating her situation. This leads to a heartbreak for both as Mea ultimately withdraws from representing him upon discovering troubling paintings in Zyair’s loft that allude to violence.

Temporary clarity leads Mea to seek answers in the Dominican Republic, where she locates Hydie, but her efforts to clear Zyair’s name are thwarted. The bombshell discovery that Azalia had fabricated her illness for manipulation sends shockwaves through the intertwined lives of the characters. In a harrowing climax, as familial bonds shatter, Mea confronts Azalia and Ray, resulting in deadly consequences that leave a permanent imprint on her psyche.

Through deception, betrayal, and a quest for justice, ultimately Zyair is exonerated, yet in the end, it is clear that filled with turmoil and loss, Mea refuses to reconnect, choosing to leave the past—and Zyair—behind.