Against long odds, a young boy works hard to pass the entrance exam that will allow him to enter his late father's alma mater. The handicap is that he's ignored by his mother and sisters. So, he asks Justin Mcleod (Mel Gibson), an ex-teacher who's horribly disfigured, to tutor him. As they work hard together to prepare for the examination, the man and boy forge a friendship that could heal the wounds of both their pasts.