六十年代末期的布鲁克林黑人街区，高中生安东尼（Larenz Tate 饰）与好友乔伊、斯格普等人享受着虽不富裕但也饶有兴味的生活。街上的小头目科比欣赏安东尼的球技，经常给予他照顾。毕业前夕，安东尼放弃上大学的机会，选择参军，他带着女友胡安妮塔与父母的牵挂踏上了越南的土地。 安东尼与斯格普所在的连队经历了地狱般的一线作战，有战友为避免被杀使用死人头颅做护身符，开肠破肚的军人请求别人将自己杀死……1973年，安东尼完好无损的回到家乡，但太多事情已经改变，斯格普仍靠拉皮条为生，科比的生意日渐萎缩，胡安妮塔委身于黑帮势力，她的妹妹莎拉则加入了黑豹党……在肉食店工作的安东尼无法忍受这一切，遂决定参与一起针对联邦储备银行的抢劫。This action film, directed by the Hughes brothers, depicts a heist of old bills, retired from circulation and destined by the government to be "money to burn." However, more broadly, it addresses the issues of Black Americans' involvement in the Vietnam War and their subsequent disillusionment with progress in social issues and civil rights back home in the United States, during the 1960's.
