Hot young stars, a hip, driving soundtrack, plus a provocative tale of jealousy and betrayal combine to create this controversial modern-day model of Shakespeare's timeless,"Othello." O is Odin James (Mekhi Phifer), the school's star basketball player and future NBA hopeful. Even though he is the only black student at the elite Palmetto Grove Academy, he has the adoration of including the team's coach (Martin Sheen) as well as also the Dean's delightful daughter, Desi (Julia Stiles). Odin's troubled friend Hugo (Josh Hartnett), the coach's son, is profoundly appreciative of his father's preference of Odin off and on the court. It puts in motion a chain of events that erupts into a firestorm of intensity when Hugo plots a strategy to sow the seed of mistrust between O and Desi.