Synopsis
Matt Lewis, a clinic doctor in the inner city, lives the high life. For Christmas, he receives an expensive coat, which he plans to “enter” into a competition he has going with a fellow doctor concerning who can accumulate the most expensive Christmas gifts. While driving his BMW to work the next day, he hits the shopping cart of an angry-at-the-world homeless man , Roger, and drives off. Survaillance cameras reveal the doctor's guilt and lands him in court just before Christmas. In retaliation, Roger steals Dr. Matt’s coat. This event propels Matt to search beneath the surface of his frivolous obsession with materialism. He attempts to befriend Roger, and to seek out an understanding of the homeless problem. Roger, however, scorns Matt’s friendship, unable to deal with an outsider’s help. Roger is beaten and the coat stolen by a gang. He is left for dead in the subzero weather, and gets frostbitten fingers. Matt finds him, and fits him with plastic hands. The coat is recovered and instead of keeping it, Matt gives it to Roger. Roger refuses it, and confesses to Matt that he stole the coat. Instead of turning him in, Matt offers to take Roger into his home, expressing the true heart of charity. Roger accepts the offer and the gift of Matt’s friendship.