Levity [2003]

Billy Bob Thornton stars in LEVITY as Manual Jordan, an ex-con recently released from a 21-year jail sentence, who is seeking redemption from Adele Easley (Holly Hunter), the sister of the guy he murdered. His mild manner and passivity make him immune to the new freedoms he'll experience outside of jail, and so his release seems like more of a punishment than a reward. By a stroke of luck he meets a spiritual man (Morgan Freeman) who runs a soup kitchen and community centre. He is given a job as a parking attendant for the nearby nightclub. This job is the catalyst that brings him in touch with a young girl, Sofia (Kirsten Dunst), whose difficult home life has turned her into a self-destructive wreck, wasting her life on booze and drugs. However, her faith is restored by Manual's gentle way of looking out for her. Little by little, Manual's goodness--the result of years of guilt spent reflecting on his crime in prison--casts a ray of new light on everyone involved, including the young and troubled son of Adele. The strong cast of director Ed Solomon's debut all turn in superb, understated performances and the snowy Chicago streets and moody acoustic soundtrack add a chilling gravity to the very moralistic, Christian plot of this genuine film.