The Sweet Hereafter 1997

In the small town of Sam Dent, British Columbia, a tragic incident unfolds when a school bus encounters a patch of ice, leading to a catastrophic crash into a lake that takes the lives of 14 children. As the devastated parents grapple with their grief, they are approached by an out-of-town lawyer, Mitchell Stephens, who is deeply haunted by his own troubled relationship with his drug-addicted daughter. Despite their initial reluctance, Stephens convinces the grieving parents and the bus driver, Dolores Driscoll, to pursue a class-action lawsuit against the town and the bus company, claiming that the accident was due to negligence in building the barrier or in the bus’s maintenance.

The success of the case hinges on coaching the few surviving witnesses to provide favorable testimonies in court, especially focusing on Nicole Burnell, a 15-year-old who was paralyzed from the waist down due to the accident. Before this tragedy, Nicole was not only an aspiring musician but also a victim of sexual abuse by her father, Sam.

Amidst the legal struggles, one parent, Billy Ansel, harbors distrust towards Stephens and exerts pressure on Sam to withdraw from the lawsuit. The tension escalates, and Nicole inadvertently overhears their heated discussion. During the pretrial deposition, in a shocking turn of events, Nicole falsely accuses Dolores of speeding, which threatens to derail the entire lawsuit. Both Stephens and Sam are aware that she is lying, yet they find themselves powerless to counteract her actions.

Fast forward two years, and Stephens crosses paths with Dolores, who is now working as a bus driver in another city, illustrating the lasting impact of that fateful day on the lives of all involved.