Karl Childers, now a grown man, is released from a psychiatric hospital where he has been hospitalized since the age of 12 for the murder of his mother and her lover. He returns to his childhood town and although being mentally handicapped, gets a job fixing small motors at a local repair shop. Karl befriends a young boy, Frank, and is soon invited by Frank's mother, Linda, to move into the family's garage. As a strong relationship develops between Karl and Frank, a confrontation builds with Linda's abusive and sometimes violent boyfriend Doyle.

The last spoken word in the movie by Doyle, Vaughan, Frank, and Linda is the same: "Karl...?"

Frank:
Ever think of killing yourself on purpose like my daddy done?


Karl:
I studied about it. The Bible says you ought not to. It says if you do that, you go off to Hades. Some folks call it Hell, I call it Hades.

Boom mic visible: Shadow visible in front of a tree when Jerry and Karl are walking.

(instrumental)
Written by Ali Jennings and Daniel Lanois
Performed by Ali Jennings
Courtesy of Daniel Lanois, Ali Jennings Songs/Socan, Daniel Lanois Songs/Socan