Holiday Heart (Ving Rhames) is gay drag queen who performs at a night club. He is talented, tough, compassionate, and a Christian. After his boyfriend dies he befriends down on her luck, drug addicted Wanda (Alfre Woodard) and her young daughter Niki (Jessika Reynolds). Heart offers them a stable home and becomes a much needed father figure for Niki. However, Wanda becomes addicted to drugs again and after a series of bad relationships, begins one with successful drug dealer Silas (Mykelti Williamson), who is homophobic and chauvinistic. Silas gives Heart money and insists that he stay out of their life. Heart agrees and prepares to visit Paris, France.
Both Silas and Wanda leave Niki alone. Silas has to go away on a "business" trip, while Wanda becomes a prostitute to feed her drug addiction. Heart takes care of Niki and raises her as his own daughter. Under Heart's guidance, Niki is baptized at the local Church and graduates from elementary school with honors. Soon after, Silas reenters their lives, and is thankful for what Heart has done. He has been getting a house in Florida ready for Wanda and Niki, but is still earning a living by selling drugs. Heart and Silas become a sort of "odd couple" as Niki begins junior high school, with Silas more willing to respect and tolerate Heart.
After bringing Niki along on one of his illicit sales, she runs away and bumps into her mother, who tries to prostitute her in order to get more drugs. As a result of the incident, Silas leaves Niki in the care of Heart. Niki begins to rebel as an angry teenager, but Heart lays down the law with some tough love. Just before Christmas, Wanda appears at the gay nightclub where Heart works and wants his help in getting clean and sober. The two walk to Heart's car, with a bike for Niki, only to be attacked by some of Wanda's former drug associates. As a former boxer, Heart manages to beat them up, but not before one of them runs over Wanda with their car. A few months later, Niki is home from Spring Break and visiting her mother's grave with Heart. Silas has returned and informs Niki and Heart that when they get back from a trip to Paris, he has a surprise waiting for them.
This made-for-TV film is a deeply moving and compelling story involving an unusual cast of characters. The film's desire not to sugarcoat things makes for some tough scenes and a less-than-happy ending. It features very good acting by Ving Rhames, Alfre Woodard, and Mykelti Williamson, and has uniformly favorable comments from viewers. Cheryl L. West wrote the teleplay adapted from her own stage play. Stephen James Taylor composed the music, and Robert Townsend directed.
