Ricky Brown left Texas searching for his hero. He found himself. Paul Black's striking debut is a poignant and inspiring coming-of-age-tale with a remarkable cast that entranced film festival audiences nationwide. With doubts about his future and little experience of life outside of Texas football, Ricky "America" Brown (Ryan Kwanten, The Junction Boys,TVs "Summerland") ditches town and heads for the wilds of NYC, seeking guidance from his school's last hero. The superstar quarterback and high school senior finds the reclusive John Cross (Hill Harper, TV's "CSI: NY") is now a priest who is questioning his current lot in life. Both are inspired by women: Ricky meets the fiery Vera (Natasha Lyonne, American Pie), while John consummates a sinful relationship with the religious Rose (French star Élodie Bouchez, TVs "Alias"). Haunted by flashbacks of the death of his brother Daniel (Michael Rapaport, Hitch, TVs "The War at Home"), Ricky seemingly wants to leave his past behind, even if it means abandoning his caring mother (Karen Black, Five Easy Pieces). With training camp just days away, his brutal old-school coach flies to the city in pursuit of America Brown. But will the coach find him before he can find himself?
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In America Brown, a coming of age drama, high school football star Ricky Brown (Ryan Kwanten) flees his hometown in West Texas to start a new life in New York City. There he begins to cope with the accidental death of his older brother, Daniel (Michael Rapaport) and the lingering pressures of a small town's football-crazed culture.
Ricky turns up on the doorstep of his childhood hero, the last great quarterback from his hometown, John Cross (Hill Harper), now a priest in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
As Ricky explores New York, he finds solace and affection from an outspoken, charming young waitress named Vera (Natasha Lyonne). On the surface, Vera and Ricky are polar-opposite archetypes, yet there's something about them that seems perfectly matched.
After an emotional journey to New York, Ricky returns to West Texas to confront what forced him to flee. What he finds is familial love, personal forgiveness and an acceptance of things one cannot change.
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