Sunshine State 2002

As the predominantly white town of Delrona Beach, Florida, gears up for its annual festival, a shocking incident occurs when one of the parade floats is set ablaze. A young black boy named Terrell finds himself accused of this act and faces a sentence of community service at a local community theater. Orphaned, Terrell lives under the care of his elderly relative, Eunice Stokes, who resides in the nearby, mostly black community of Lincoln Beach.

Eunice is soon visited by her daughter, Desiree, a former beauty queen who left town during her high school years amidst a scandal due to her unexpected pregnancy. Sent away by her parents to live with an aunt in Georgia until the baby was born, she has now returned with a desire to mend her relationship with her mother and introduce her new husband, Reggie. During her visit, she rekindles an old flame with her high school sweetheart, Flash, once a star football player and now involved in promoting a property development scheme.

Meanwhile, in Delrona Beach, Marly Temple juggles running a motel and cafe inherited from her elderly father and mother, a drama instructor. Feeling trapped by her obligations, Marly is tempted to sell the motel to developers, although she doubts her father would ever agree to such a dramatic change. A once-aspiring marine biologist who performed underwater, her life took a turn after the tragic death of her older twin brothers, pushing her into her father’s shoes. As if navigating her family’s difficulties wasn’t enough, Marly also grapples with her estranged husband, Steve, a perpetual dreamer chasing quick money, and her current boyfriend, Scotty, who is struggling to make it as a pro golfer. Complications arise when Marly becomes romantically entangled with Jack, a landscape architect working with the developers.

Throughout this intricate tale, a group of golfers provides a humorous commentary, acting as a modern-day Greek chorus and observing the unfolding drama with quirky insights.