Hot young stars, a hip, driving soundtrack, plus a provocative tale of jealousy and betrayal combine to create this contentious modernday variant of Shakespeare's timeless,"Othello." O is Odin James (Mekhi Phifer), the school's star basketball player and future NBA hopeful. Although he is the only black student at the elite Palmetto Grove Academy, he has the adoration of all, including the team's coach (Martin Sheen) and the Dean's amazing daughter, Desi (Julia Stiles). Odin's troubled friend Hugo (Josh Hartnett), the coach's kid, is profoundly appreciative of his father's preference of Odin on and off the court. When Hugo plots a diabolical scheme it sets into motion a chain of events which erupts into a firestorm of breathtaking intensity.