In Nearing Grace, young Henry Nearing (Smith) is addled by hormones and marijuana, languishing in the suburbs of 1970s New Jersey. His mom died six months earlier, his father Shep (Morse) has been on a bender ever since, his brother (Moscow) is a self-styled acid casualty; long-time best friend Merna (Johnson) suddenly wants more; and he has dropped out of school shortly before graduation.
Henry sees teenaged seductress Grace (Brewster) as the most alluring answer to his all-consuming discontent. Though the smoldering Grace is dating the school football star, she teases, entices and tempts Henry – all in sport – until his passing attraction turns into fascination, then obsession. Only when Grace finally succumbs to Henry – claiming his virginity in a succession of unrestrained, clandestine encounters – does he begin to face up to life and realize that winning her may mean losing himself.
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