Marmalade 2024

In the dingy confines of his cell, Baron (Keery), a gentle soul with an uncomplicated heart, finds himself sharing quarters with Otis (Hodge), a seasoned convict with a storied history of prison breaks. As they strike up a conversation, Baron’s eagerness to escape becomes palpable, driven by his desire to meet his long-distance love at a secret rendezvous the following afternoon. Otis, however, is wary, cautioning that he doesn’t trust anyone, not even himself. Yet, Baron’s promise of a hefty sum - $250,000 in cash - piques Otis’ interest, and he agrees to help facilitate their daring prison break. But before they set their plan in motion, Baron regales Otis with the tale of how his life took a drastic turn.

The journey begins with Baron’s unemployment from his job at the local post office, which had been his primary source of income for supporting his terminally ill mother, Eda. The catalyst for his dismissal was his refusal to conform to the office’s haircut standards, as he had grown accustomed to letting his locks flow freely. Upon returning home, Baron is met with a somber reality: his mother’s medication has increased in price, and he is at a loss for how to afford it. His distress is palpable as he administers her pills and treats her to a Moon Pie, a small comfort in the face of uncertainty. As he struggles to come to terms with their financial woes, Baron finds himself drawn to the local park, where he unleashes his frustration by thrashing about on the swing set.

It is here that fate intervenes, as an eccentric stranger with a striking pink hairdo (Morrone) pulls up in her car. With a hint of disappointment, she remarks that she had mistaken Baron for a lifeless body and expresses dismay at finding him alive. She asks the rhetorical question, “Is there anything to do around here?” - a query that echoes his own sentiments. Baron’s response is met with amusement as he rattles off the town’s limited attractions: the quarry and the ice cream shop. The stranger introduces herself as Marmalade, and her curiosity is piqued by the prospect of exploring this “shit town” with Baron as her guide. As she speeds away, only to return and tease him about his impulsive behavior on the swing set, it becomes clear that their encounter will have far-reaching consequences for both characters.

As the sun dips below the quarry’s horizon, Marmalade (actress name) and Baron share intimate tales of their pasts. Her own history is marked by a seemingly endless cycle of foster care homes, where she struggled to find stability and love. In contrast, Baron reveals his childhood was characterized by a father he thought was an astronaut, absent from his life because he was building a rocket that would one day blast him into the great unknown. The naivety behind these words is not lost on Marmalade, who can’t help but be charmed by Baron’s innocence. As their connection deepens, they find themselves swept up in an all-consuming whirlwind romance.

Their passion is matched only by their desperation to ensure Eda (actress name), the woman who has taken them both under her wing, receives the medical care she so desperately needs. With limited financial resources at their disposal, Baron and Marmalade turn their minds to creative solutions. Initially, Baron suggests renting out a spare bedroom in their home, but Marmalade persuades him that they should take a more unconventional approach: robbing a bank. The pair devise an intricate plan, selecting a quiet institution in a neighboring town and identifying a secluded cabin as their safe house. As they prepare for this daring heist, they each opt to get a tattoo on their ankle - Marmalade chooses a heart with Baron’s name etched within it, while Baron selects a jar of marmalade, intended to bear her name on the label (although, due to an unfortunate mistake by the tattoo artist, it ultimately reads “Mama,” in honor of Eda). Amidst this planning process, Baron begins to notice that some of his mother’s medication appears to have vanished. He also presses Marmalade for answers regarding why she has ceased all communication with her biological mother. Initially hesitant, Marmalade eventually reveals the painful truth: she blames her biological mother for failing to protect her from one of her early foster fathers, a man who subjected his wards to unimaginable cruelty and violence. This individual had a penchant for locking his charges in dog cages within his garage and prodding them with his white cane. Marmalade’s words are laced with venomous resentment as she confesses that she wishes she had taken matters into her own hands, ending this monster’s reign of terror once and for all. As she struggles to come to terms with the trauma of her past, Baron offers a comforting presence, reminding her of the safety and protection he has provided thus far in their tumultuous lives together.

As Marmalade and Baron venture into a local store to procure disguises for their impending heist, the tension between them becomes palpable. Marmalade, driven by her determination, selects two lavish masks that Baron deems unaffordable. However, she pulls out a gun and delivers a swift pistol-whip to the store’s cashier, attempting to commandeer the cash register. Though she struggles to open it, her persistence is ultimately thwarted as they make their hasty exit. The incident appears to leave Baron visibly shaken, prompting him to suggest selling his prized baseball cards instead of resorting to robbery. Marmalade remains resolute in her plan, insisting that they proceed with the heist the following day.

That night, a sudden and intense coughing fit besets Eda, prompting Marmalade’s anxious attention. When Eda’s cries for help pierce the air, Baron rushes to her aid, only to be met with a devastating discovery: his mother has passed away in her bed. Marmalade vehemently denies any knowledge of the events that transpired, claiming she left the room and returned to find Eda deceased.

In the present day, within the confines of prison walls, Otis offers condolences to Baron, who is visibly distraught. Otis shares his own experience, revealing that his mother’s health has been a persistent concern throughout his life, leaving him uncertain about her current status. When Baron inquires why they don’t communicate more frequently, Otis candidly explains that their complicated past lies in Kingston, Jamaica, where his mother resides. This revelation comes as a stark contrast to the turbulent events unfolding around them.

In the dining hall, Baron becomes the target of a group of inmates, who steal his food and push his face into his tray. Undeterred, Baron reveals to another inmate that he harbors a secret within his braided hair, prompting the other man to attempt an attack. However, Otis intervenes, sparking a full-blown riot in the dining hall. As a result of his involvement, Otis is subsequently handcuffed and escorted out by a prison guard.

As the sound of distant voices and clanging metal bars fade away, a shocking revelation comes to light - Otis (character) isn’t just any ordinary inmate, but a cunning undercover FBI agent tasked with bringing down the notorious Marmalade, a mastermind behind a string of daring bank robberies. Disguising himself as a hardened criminal, Otis was deliberately paired with Baron in an attempt to manipulate him into spilling the beans on Marmalade’s whereabouts, effectively putting the kibosh on her elusive crime spree once and for all. However, as Baron remained tight-lipped about their planned meeting spot, Otis concocted a clever plan to stage a fake escape for both himself and Baron, thereby unwittingly leading the FBI straight to Marmalade’s doorstep. Despite some initial reservations from fellow officers, the proposal was given the green light, and Otis returned to his cell to continue spinning his web of deception alongside Baron, whose narrative continued uninterrupted as the ruse unfolded.

As the weight of his mother’s passing settles upon him, Baron finds himself torn between his lingering sense of obligation and a deep-seated desire to extricate himself from the impending robbery. His motivation had always been twofold: to secure the medication his ailing mother so desperately needed, but also to provide for her in any way he could. However, Marmalade’s revelation that she is pregnant and their unborn child is at stake proves a game-changer, as she passionately argues that this ill-gotten gain will be the key to securing a brighter future for themselves and their offspring. Though Baron’s initial reluctance lingers, his concerns are eventually assuaged by Marmalade’s unwavering conviction, and he reluctantly agrees to serve as getaway driver, eschewing any direct involvement in the actual heist.

The following day, they put their plan into action, executing a daring bank robbery with ease. As they retreat to their secluded safe house, Baron’s euphoria gives way to unease, as he begins to question Marmalade about her uncanny expertise and the sheer magnitude of their haul. Her response - that she had a long history of robbing banks, but had intended to hang up her mask before meeting him - only serves to deepen his misgivings. The tension is palpable as Baron becomes increasingly overwhelmed, ultimately retreating from the situation to clear his head.

However, Marmalade’s gentle reassurances and the promise that it’s just the two of them (and their soon-to-be-born child) against the world eventually draw him back into the fold. It’s not long before she requests that he retrieve the masks from the car, a seemingly innocuous task that ultimately unravels her carefully constructed façade. As Baron rummages through Marmalade’s vehicle, he uncovers a bottle of his mother’s pills, the truth finally dawning on him: it was Marmalade who had pilfered them, precipitating Eda’s untimely demise.

Enraged and heartbroken, Baron returns to the cabin, gun in hand, demanding answers from the woman he once called friend. Marmalade’s half-hearted excuses only serve to further inflame his emotions, as the police close in on their location. As the situation spirals out of control, Baron is torn between the urge to surrender and the desperate need for retribution. It is at this moment that Marmalade seizes control, convincing him to split the spoils and flee, with a promise to reunite at 3:30 the following day at their favorite meeting spot. Baron’s conflicted emotions ultimately yield to his better judgment, as he chooses to hand himself over to the authorities, leaving Marmalade to her own devices.

As Otis and Baron concoct their daring escape plan within the prison walls, they set in motion a series of events that will test their cunning and wits. Under the guise of transporting dirty laundry, Otis dons the disguise of a laundry attendant, while Baron hides inside a basket of towels and bedlinens, awaiting his chance to make a break. The unsuspecting guard who stops Otis is oblivious to his undercover status, and it takes the timely intervention of fellow FBI agents to extricate him from the situation.

Meanwhile, Baron makes his move, slipping out of the prison unnoticed and making his way to a florist, where he purchases a bouquet of flowers. His next stop is a cemetery, where he pays his respects at what appears to be his mother’s grave. The trail leads Otis and the FBI team on a wild goose chase, as they follow Baron from the florist to an ice cream shop, which Otis has reason to believe may be their meeting spot with Marmalade.

However, just as the pursuit reaches its climax, the getaway car speeds out of the parking lot, leaving the FBI agents in hot pursuit. But when they finally bring the vehicle to a halt, they’re met with a surprise: the driver isn’t Baron or Marmalade at all, but an unwitting employee from the ice cream shop who was instructed by Baron to drive the car around the block and create a diversion. As the dust settles, Otis and his team are left to regroup and reassess their pursuit of the cunning escape artist.

As Baron returns to the cabin, he swaps out his vehicle for another one, conveniently parked in the ice cream shop’s lot. This subtle change allows him to retrieve the stash of cash hidden within the chimney, as well as a collection of newspaper clippings detailing previous bank robberies, including a revealing article featuring Otis (played by…) as an FBI agent tasked with solving the crimes. The photo shows Otis in his investigative element, further solidifying the notion that Baron is more cunning than initially perceived.

Baron then heads to the bathroom, where he embarks on a transformative journey of self-discovery - or rather, self-disguise. Donning a dress and a blonde wig, he successfully evades capture by blending into the crowd as a woman. Meanwhile, Otis begins to question Baron’s seemingly hapless nature, leading him back to the cemetery to investigate the grave that Baron had previously visited. The unexpected discovery reveals that this was not Eda’s final resting place, nor did Baron leave behind a bouquet - instead, he deposited a jar of marmalade with the enigmatic label “Mama” written on it, eerily mirroring his own tattoo. This serendipitous finding prompts Otis to re-examine the security footage from the bank, whereupon he uncovers a shocking truth: Baron, behind his disguise, is the mastermind behind this daring robbery - and likely the others before it.

Free from the constraints of his former identity, Baron, now masquerading as Lamram, walks into a pharmacy to collect an impressive order of Pleonexia, a medication he claims is sustaining his mother’s life. The pharmacist notes that Baron has depleted the store’s entire supply, to which Baron explains that this precious medicine is intended for his foster mom, Eda Lamram - a name that, when viewed in reverse, eerily spells out “marmalade.” This cleverly hidden truth further solidifies the notion that Baron’s actions are calculated and deliberate, leaving Otis and the audience alike wondering what other secrets lie beneath this enigmatic character’s surface.

As Otis and his team delve deeper into the mystery surrounding Baron, they uncover a trail that leads them to the CEO of Baron Pharmaceuticals, Don Frankels. A chance observation by Otis about Frankels’ distinctive gait sparks a memory from Baron’s own narrative - the poignant story of “Marmalade” being brutally exploited as a child. Otis confronts Frankels, who candidly admits to fostering children with the intention of reforming them, and it becomes clear that this is more than just a coincidence. A subsequent investigation at Frankels’ residence yields a shocking discovery: three makeshift cages for dogs in the garage and an unassuming jar of marmalade sitting outside the door. The truth begins to unravel, revealing that Baron was likely one of the vulnerable children who suffered at Frankels’ hands. Otis has Frankels taken into custody, and a small but telling token left by Baron - a Moon Pie tucked away in his car’s wing mirror - hints at the fugitive’s recent presence.

As Otis ponders the next move, he visits a local pharmacy, where the pharmacist shares a cryptic piece of information: someone matching Baron’s description had purchased medication and then disappeared to purchase tickets from the travel agent around the corner. There, Otis receives an envelope containing a poignant message from Baron himself - “Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. I’m taking care of my mother. I hope you’ll do the same. Farewell, Secret Agent” - accompanied by a first-class ticket to Kingston, Jamaica.

Meanwhile, Baron has been quietly making his way back to his roots, slipping into the staff parking lot of a nursing home with an air of familiarity. As he mingles with the residents, dropping off medication and going from room to room, it becomes clear that he is not just any ordinary visitor. His ultimate destination is Eda’s room, where he shares a warm moment with her, hands her a Moon Pie, and together they gaze out at the world beyond their window.