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17-year-old Alex Wilson breaks into the
music store where he works to steal a guitar, not counting on the fact
that his boss and mentor, famed Blues musician Henry Baldwin, would be
working late that night. Armed with a gun, Henry goes out into the
darkened store to confront the intruder. Henry is shocked to find
Alex there and goes to call the police when Alex tries to stop him.
There's a struggle for the gun and Henry is fatally wounded. Alex is
arrested, found guilty and remanded to the local juvenile detention
center until sentencing. Monica works at the detention center
supervising a group of six boys, including Alex. In a show of false
bravado, Alex makes it known that he's serving time for murder.
Ronald (the angel from records and permanent files) suggests to Monica
that perhaps the boys need to find some common ground. The next day,
Tess surprises Alex with some strawberry pancakes for his birthday --
and when everyone joins in to sing "Happy Birthday," they stumble onto
some untapped potential. Andrew accompanies Alex to his sentencing
hearing where he calls Alex's high school counselor, who testifies to
the important role Henry played in Alex's life. But Alex's fate takes
a turn for the worse when Henry's daughter Olivia takes the stand.
She tearfully recounts how her father had a lot more love and music to
share and that Alex is a murderer who should be made to pay. The
judge sentences Alex to twenty-five years without the possibility of
parole. Alex returns to the detention center feeling hopeless, and
Monica asks if there's something he'd like to do in the remaining time
before he's transferred to the penitentiary. Alex admits he'd like to
hear his music performed before an audience. Alex asks the guys if
they'd be willing to sing his song. They're reluctant, but eventually
agree to give it a try. While Alex works with the guys on their
harmony, Ronald locates a venue for them to perform. Tess smoothes
things over with the juvenile center administrator, who grudgingly
allows them to attend the "open mike" night under their supervision.
The boys perform Alex's song to an enthusiastic response, but Alex
escapes before the song is over. When Alex is discovered missing, the
performance is interrupted and the boys are sent back to the detention
center, where Ronald reveals himself as an angel and tells them that
God loves them and forgives them. Monica finds Alex hiding out in the
now abandoned music store where it all began. Monica shows Alex that
Henry had intended to give him the guitar as a birthday present.
Monica reveals herself as an angel, and that she was sent in answer to
Henry's prayer. She reminds Alex that God loves him and that he still
has a future, even if it's behind bars and that it's time to turn his
future over to God. Alex returns to the juvenile center and
apologizes to the guys. He asks them for one last favor -- to honor
Henry's memory. As Alex is transferred to prison, the guys restore
Henry's music store with the angels' help, to be reopened as a youth
center.
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