Denzel Washington plays Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a man who, in the prime of his boxing career finds himself wrongfully convicted of murder. Sentenced to life in prison, Carter's published memoir, The Sixteenth Round, inspired a teenager (Vicellous Reon Shannon) from Brooklyn and three Canadian activists (Deborah Kara Unger, John Hannah, Liev Schreiber) who believed in the truth, to join forces with Carter to prove his innocence. Their extraordinary efforts ultimately secure this release, leaving Hurricane to sum up his 20 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit by simply stating, "Hate got me into this place, love got me out.