In this contemporary retelling of Othello, Shakespeare’s timeless tale of treachery and jealousy, Mekhi Phifer portrays NBA hopeful Odin James, the only black student at Palmetto Grove Academy. Odin is a basketball scout’s dream, possessing the talent and poise to go straight from high school to the pros. Odin not only enjoys widespread popularity with the students, he is dating Desi Brable (Julia Stiles), the beautiful daughter of the Dean of the school. The envy of all their friends, Odin and Desi have found what many others lack-a love that is deep, honest, and pure.

Odin’s best friend, Hugo Goulding (Josh Hartnett), is a starting forward on the basketball team, and the son of Coach Duke Goulding (Martin Sheen). Hugo has been asked by his father to look out for Odin because of the particular pressures facing him at Palmetto Grove. Yet Hugo is bitterly envious of Odin and the attention Odin receives from the coach and everyone else at school.

Placed by his own father in the role of Odin’s confidante, Hugo is, in reality, seeking to destroy the very person he pretends to befriend. Manipulating his friends as pawns in his dark scheme, Hugo orchestrates conflict and deceit among his friends, escalating into a crescendo of irrevocable tragedy when Hugo executes a plan prompting Odin to throw away all that he cares about most-the woman he loves, his bright future, his very soul.