Melanie

Melanie, a rural Arkansas woman, lives with her six-year-old son Tyler in a run-down shack. After her husband, Carl, who's away in the military, takes Tyler away, Melanie decides to take a cross-country bus trip to get her son back. She arrives at her childhood friend Ronda's house in the Hollywood Hills, where she meets Ronda's musician boyfriend Rick and his health-conscious lawyer friend Walter. With their help, Melanie learns to read and write, taking control of her life and potentially finding romantic happiness. However, Carl refuses to give Tyler up, even if it means harming Melanie.