What Is Tomorrow About?
The premise of Tomorrow in 349 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
On a remote Mississippi farm, the quiet rhythm of the land is broken by the arrival of a pregnant drifter. Fentry, a solitary farmer whose days have long stretched into sameness, opens his modest homestead to the stranger, offering shelter and a steady hand. The setting is a stark, sun‑bleached landscape where the sky seems to press down on weathered wood and fields, creating a mood that feels both timeless and fragile. From the first scene, the film settles into a measured, reflective pace that lets the audience feel the weight of each breath of wind and the slow passage of seasons.
Sarah Eubanks steps into this world carrying more than a swollen belly; she carries the quiet hope of a future that the open fields have never promised. In the modest kitchen and under the low‑hanging rafters, the two strangers begin to forge an unlikely partnership, each supplying what the other lacks. Their interactions are unadorned, marked by simple gestures—a shared meal, a hand‑off of tools, the hush of night conversations—that reveal a growing, unspoken bond rooted in mutual need and quiet compassion.
The narrative folds back on itself, framing the story through the voice of Lawyer Douglas, whose measured courtroom narration serves as a conduit for memory. As decades pass, the farmer finds himself seated on a jury, and the case before the court becomes a mirror reflecting his own past. The legal setting introduces a subtle contrast between the open, unconfined countryside and the confined, deliberative space of the courtroom, heightening the film’s contemplative tone. Through Douglas’s steady storytelling, the audience is invited to linger on questions of worth, remembrance, and the unseen threads that tie lives together.
Overall, the film exudes a lyricism that celebrates endurance and quiet decency. Its palette of muted earth tones, the soft hum of rural life, and the slow‑burning dialogue create a world where ordinary acts of caring take on profound significance. The story asks what it means to persist when the world seems indifferent, and how a single, steadfast act can echo far beyond the fields where it began.
What Happens in Tomorrow?
The complete story of Tomorrow, from the first scene to the last, in 351 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 3 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
On a remote Mississippi farm, the lonely farmer Fentry Robert Duvall takes in a pregnant drifter named Sarah Eubanks Olga Bellin, who has been abandoned by the father of her child. The story unfolds in a measured, reflective way, told in flashback as twenty years pass and the farmer finds himself seated on a jury. The case is filtered through the voice of the defense attorney, Lawyer Douglas Peter Masterson, whose narration invites a closer look at guilt, memory, and the unseen ties that bind people long after a life-altering moment. The film blends a stark rural atmosphere with a quiet courtroom drama to examine how a single vote can hinge on what is remembered, what is overlooked, and what is believed about worth.
The courtroom reveals a painful thread: the victim was Sarah’s son, a child Fentry once cared for after finding her in destitution and nursing her back to health. He raised the boy for a time, only to have him taken away by force by the boy’s maternal brothers, a betrayal that fractured a fragile life. The boy’s later circumstances—shaped by a harsh upbringing—help others see him as lacking, and his murder is judged by some as a public service rather than a tragedy. Throughout, Fentry clings to the memory of the child he protected, refusing to let the death vanish into insignificance. The defense attorney’s careful storytelling foregrounds a broader moral question: the dignity and strength that can reside in people who are easily dismissed by society.
As the defense narrative unfolds, the film paints a portrait of a man defined by stubborn endurance, quiet care, and an almost stubborn decency. It invites viewers to reconsider how society labels “worthless” lives and to recognize the stubborn, sustaining acts that keep humanity intact in the face of hardship. The jury room becomes a space where personal history, social judgment, and moral courage intersect, pressing the question of what it means to endure when the world seems to forget you exist.
“The lowly and invincible of the earth—to endure and endure and then endure, tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.”
Tomorrow Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Fentry shelters a pregnant drifter” to “Final reflection on worth”. 14 events name a place, across 13 locations.
- 1
Fentry shelters a pregnant drifter
In rural Mississippi, an isolated farmer named Fentry takes in a pregnant drifter abandoned by the father of her child. He provides food, shelter, and steadiness, giving her a safe place to wait out her pregnancy. The act marks the start of a deep, if uneasy, bond between them.
When:early days after arrival Where:rural Mississippi
- 2
Bond deepens as she recovers
As the drifter's pregnancy progresses, Fentry's care extends beyond shelter into companionship. He nurses her back to health after her destitution, and their connection grows despite the isolation around them. The situation plants the seeds for a profound and tragic attachment.
When:early weeks after arrival Where:on the farm in rural Mississippi
- 3
The drifter dies; he pledges to care for her son
She dies after Fentry promises to take care of her son, binding his fate to a child he never expected to raise. The loss leaves him with a sense of responsibility and a memory of the mother figure he found in her. The tragedy carves the foundations of the story's moral conflict.
When:after the promise Where:on the farm
- 4
Fentry raises the boy for a time
Fentry raises the boy for a period, giving him care, discipline, and a chance at a life away from destitution. He acts as a father figure, shaping the boy's early years with quiet steadfastness. The bond he forms becomes central to later events.
When:in the years after the mother's death Where:the farm
- 5
The boy is taken from him by force
The boy is forcibly removed from Fentry by the brothers of the boy's mother. The family asserts control, severing the fragile link Fentry had built. This act sets the boy on a harsher path and deepens Fentry's sense of loss.
When:sometime later Where:near the farm
- 6
The boy grows up to be seen as worthless
The boy grows into a man who is widely viewed as worthless by the community. His rough upbringing and the stigma attached to his childhood seal his reputation. The public's low regard makes his murder feel like a 'public service' to some.
When:years later Where:the community
- 7
A murder that is seen as a public service
A man, considered worthless by most, is murdered, and the act is framed by some as a public service. The event underscores the town's brutal logic about worth and punishment. The killer's actions are debated, but the social verdict remains harsh.
When:recently Where:the town
- 8
Present day jury scene
Twenty years later, Fentry sits on a jury for the murder trial. The defense attorney narrates the case, guiding the audience through Fentry's logic and hidden past. The jury's dynamics become a study of character and prejudice.
When:present day Where:courthouse in Mississippi
- 9
The fragile thread of Fentry's vote
The narrative slowly reveals that Fentry's vote is driven by a sense that life can be precious in the least expected places. His own past with Sarah Eubanks and the boy informs his understanding of worth. The courtroom becomes a space to weigh memory against the official record.
When:present day Where:courthouse
- 10
The attorney sees Fentry's humanity
The defense attorney realizes Fentry is someone society often dismisses, yet he embodies tremendous character and resolve. This insight reframes the courtroom as a moral mirror rather than a battlefield. The line about enduring life anchors the film's message.
When:present day Where:courtroom
Show the other 4 events of Tomorrow Hide the last 4 events
- 11
The victim's lineage ties to Sarah Eubanks
The killer's victim is revealed to be the son of Sarah Eubanks, the pregnant drifter Fentry sheltered. The past resurfaces, connecting the present trial to the farmer's long-untold memories. This link reframes the crime as one with moral weight rather than a distant incident.
When:present day Where:courtroom/past revelations
- 12
Endurance and the invincible of the earth
The film closes on Fentry's quiet endurance, mirroring the attorney's line about the 'lowly and invincible of the earth'. He shows that people who seem insignificant can bear heavy burdens and shape others' lives. The courtroom becomes a space to honor those hidden stories.
When:present day Where:courtroom
- 13
Flashbacks reveal Fentry's past
Through the defense attorney's narration, the story unfolds in flashbacks that show Fentry's quiet acts of care and the consequences of removing the boy from his life. The past connects to the present, shaping how the jury and audience interpret the crime. The structure emphasizes memory as a force in moral judgment.
When:across the past twenty years Where:Mississippi; various times
- 14
Final reflection on worth
The film's closing reflection notes endurance and the dignity of the overlooked. It ties Fentry's personal history to a broader statement about worth and humanity. The long road to understanding ends with a charge to recognize the lowly as invincible.
When:end of film Where:courtroom / memory
Who Are the Main Characters in Tomorrow?
9 characters, among them Jackson Fentry (Robert Duvall), Sarah Eubanks (Olga Bellin) and Lawyer Douglas (Peter Masterson): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Jackson Fentry (Robert Duvall)
Played by Robert Duvall
A lonely Mississippi farmer who cares for a destitute drifter and later raises her son. His quiet, steadfast morality drives him to endure betrayal and social contempt, revealing a core of stubborn resilience. As the lone jury vote is explained, the audience sees a man who refuses to let a life pass unseen.
- 🌾 Farmer
- 🛡️ Protector
- 🧭 Moral complexity
- SE
Sarah Eubanks (Olga Bellin)
Played by Olga Bellin
A pregnant drifter taken in by Fentry, whose intense bond with him frames the film’s emotional core. Her life is marked by hardship and a fragile hope, whose tragic end underscores the human cost of the town’s judgments.
- 🤰 Pregnant mother
- 🕊️ Vulnerable
- 💔 Tragic fate
- LD
Lawyer Douglas (Peter Masterson)
Played by Peter Masterson
The defense attorney who narrates the trial, guiding the audience toward questions of motive and meaning behind the apparent crime. He frames Fentry’s guilt or innocence as a moral issue about value and humanity rather than mere legality.
- ⚖️ Lawyer
- 🗣️ Narrator
- 🧭 Moral questioning
- TB
Thorpe Brother (Jack Simley)
Played by Jack Simley
One of the Thorpe brothers who forcibly took the boy from Fentry, representing the oppressive forces that push marginalized people out of kin and community. His actions contribute to the tragedy at the heart of the story.
- 🏷️ Villain
- 🪶 Oppressive force
- 🕳️ Family conflict
- TB
Thorpe Brother (Billy Summerford)
Played by Billy Summerford
Another of the Thorpe brothers involved in stripping away Fentry’s family ties, embodying the community’s harsh judgment and the cycles of poverty and cruelty.
- 🏷️ Villain
- 🧱 Oppressive force
- 🕰️ Retaliation
- TB
Thorpe Brother (Thomas C. Coggin)
Played by Thomas C. Coggin
The third Thorpe brother who contributes to the social devastation that leads to the murder at the story’s center.
- 🏷️ Villain
- 🧱 Oppressive force
- 🪓 Family conflict
- J(
Judge (Ken Lindley)
Played by Ken Lindley
The judge overseeing the trial, whose decisions and demeanor reflect the prejudice and formality of the courtroom. He serves as a symbol of authority and the weight of public opinion.
- ⚖️ Authority
- 🏛️ Courtroom
- 🧭 Judgment
- JF
Jury Foreman (R.M. Weaver)
Played by R.M. Weaver
A juror who represents the pressure of collective responsibility and the possibility of moral clarity amid a crowd. His demeanor and vote highlight the film’s meditation on who deserves mercy.
- 🧑⚖️ Jury
- 🧭 Responsibility
- 🕯️ Morality
- PF
Papa Fentry (William Hawley)
Played by William Hawley
Fentry’s father figure whose presence frames the sense of family duty and the continuity of values across generations. His relationship with the protagonist anchors the sense of legacy.
- 👨👦 Family
- 🪶 Legacy
- 🪵 Rural roots
Where and When Is Tomorrow Set?
Tomorrow is set in Rural Mississippi and United States (20 years). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
20 years
The narrative moves between a past era and a present courtroom scene, spanning two decades. Flashbacks reveal how Fentry sheltered Sarah and raised her son, while the present trial exposes how memory and guilt influence a lone jury vote. The timeline emphasizes endurance across years rather than a specific historical year.
Where
Rural Mississippi, United States
Set in a remote farming area of Mississippi, the film depicts a small, close-knit community where the land and poverty shape people’s choices. The countryside is austere and the courthouse becomes the focal point of public life. Isolation and rough livelihoods drive the characters’ tensions and loyalties.
- 🏞️ Rural setting
- 🏚️ Isolated community
- 🌾 Agricultural life
What Are the Themes of Tomorrow?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Justice, Rural life and Memory and endurance.
-
01
Justice
The story probes how law and moral judgment collide when society labels a life as insignificant. The lone dissenting vote becomes a window into deeper truths about worth, memory, and responsibility. The defense attorney’s narration reframes a murder as a test of integrity rather than a simple crime.
-
02
Rural life
The Mississippi countryside frames the characters’ interactions, highlighting poverty, stoicism, and hard work. Community reputation matters, and small-town dynamics influence who is perceived as guilty or virtuous. The setting underscores the fragility and resilience of everyday people.
-
03
Memory and endurance
Memories of care, loss, and promises kept haunt Fentry across decades. The film treats endurance as a quiet, dignified act, visible in a man who bears others’ burdens while refusing to forget. Time deepens the sense that some lives are significant long after public notice fades.
What Kind of Film Is Tomorrow?
Melancholic in tone, with slow pacing and a complex story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Melancholic
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Complex
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A deeply melancholic and slow-burning drama that explores profound loneliness and unwavering duty through the tragic memories of a quiet farmer, ultimately revealing the heavy emotional weight of a life lived in obscurity.
- lonely
- somber
- tragic
- reflective
- melancholic
- steadfast
- grief and loss
- loneliness
- unnoticed lives
- promise and duty
Content notes: death of a child, child abandonment.
Quiz
How well do you remember Tomorrow? Test yourself on the story.
