Manhattan Film Festival

It’s a big day for Matthew. He is about to be released from a state psychiatric hospital ten years after he meticulously planned, but never executed, a mass act of violence at his high school. A decade after his arrest, the townspeople vehemently object to his return to the community. But their reservations can’t compare to Matthew’s own as he comes home to his father and finally faces the sister who turned him in. Living under the constant shadow of the tragedy that might have been while trying to start anew, the family struggles to reconnect and move forward. But Matthew’s father Ryan, haunted by the signs he missed ten years ago, is determined to find a place for his son in society and heal his fractured family. While the world sees only a monster, Ryan sees his son, a young man who needs him now more than ever. The movie is loosely based on a real-life event and touches on some of the most important issues of our time – school violence, mass shootings, mental health, and gun control. While addressing grim realities, Matthew is ultimately a moving family story about love, hope, and second chances.