First Sunday 2008

In this gritty drama, two friends, Durell Washington and LeeJohn Jackson, are battling to make a living in the tumultuous environment of Baltimore as they grapple with the harsh realities of being ex-convicts. Stripped of stable employment opportunities because of their criminal pasts, they are pushed to engage in dubious schemes just to scrape by. Durell’s personal life adds to the chaos; his ex-wife Omunique is set on leaving town with their son unless he steps up to help her settle debts tied to her struggling hair salon.

In a moment of sheer desperation, the duo agrees to peddle wheelchairs from Blahka, a con artist who fronts them some product. However, their plan unravels spectacularly when a police chase results in them losing the merchandise. The fallout is severe: the friends are handed a staggering sentence of 5,000 hours of community service, and Blahka menaces them for $12,000 within a day, threatening dire consequences if they fail to deliver.

Racing against the clock, LeeJohn hatches an outlandish scheme to rob a local church despite Durell’s strong misgivings. Upon infiltrating the church office, they encounter resistance from Pastor Arthur Mitchell, his daughter Tianna, and choir leader Ricky. The tension quickly escalates when Durell inadvertently takes them hostage following a botched heist attempt.

As the standoff plays out, the church members are divided over a potential relocation spurred by their financial woes. Meanwhile, LeeJohn unexpectedly grows close to Timmy, a young boy who confides his feelings of abandonment. The situation intensifies when the police patrol nearby, prompting Durell to instruct Ricky to reassure them that everything is under control.

With the church’s air conditioning malfunctioning, Durell takes charge of fixing it while LeeJohn oversees the situation with the hostages. A heartfelt exchange occurs as Sister Doris brings comfort through her culinary prowess, sharing nostalgic tales of past birthday celebrations. During the turmoil, moments of affection and humanity emerge, such as Tianna slowly warming to Durell as they come to understand each other.

Just when it seems a breakthrough is at hand, Durell receives a call from his son, an awkward reminder of his responsibilities. When confronted by Momma T about his true motivations for robbing the church, he claims he is doing it for his son, though she doubts his sincerity, suggesting he is more self-serving than he admits.

As events spiral out of control, Durell and LeeJohn reluctantly abandon their plan and the stolen money. A high-speed chase ensues, cornering them against the police. In court, the deacon claims that $64,000 was taken from the church. Yet, when it’s revealed that the actual amount taken was double, his credibility is thrown into jeopardy, leading to the case’s dismissal for lack of witnesses.

Durell finds himself back at Omunique’s apartment, where he must confront Blahka and his enforcers about the situation. Eventually, after some persuasion, they let him retrieve his son, but not before receiving a cold response from Omunique. She questions the origins of the church money left outside her door, to which Durell claims it was a gift, pleading not to lose his son.

As tensions ease, he begins to reconnect with his ex-wife and child, while LeeJohn forges bonds with Doris and Timothy.

Ultimately, the community uses the remaining funds to rebuild, culminating in a block party hosted by the church, celebrating their newfound sense of unity amid adversity.