The movie begins in a noisy neighborhood in The Bronx where most people are Latino. Then there is a noisy apartment where Chino and wife Lisette seem to be having sex while their kids are getting really frustrated about something. An old woman hits the ceiling with a broom because she's tired of the noise up above.Chino is a bike messenger who doesn't have much but he tries. He also "plays the numbers", the same number every time. I assume that's a lottery reference. C (Li'l Chino, eight years old) and Minnie (around the same age) are his kids but it's not clear they are Lisette's. Pee Wee is in diapers and may be Lisette's. Chino's mom Rosaria is proud of her Castilian (European) heritage and seems bothered by her grandchildren being black. C has friends who want to get him to do things his parents disapprove of, and C seems to have no problem with doing things that might be illegal, as long as he's making money. Chino's brother was killed because he was dealing drugs, so he will not tolerate his son doing the same.Lisette hasn't had a paying job but takes care of the kids. Her parents run a food cart. Her father is dark-skinned and may have had an African accent. Lisette gets frustrated early in the movie and goes to stay with her sister Alexis in the same building, Alexis seems like a man. She is in fact transitioning and her parents most definitely do not approve. Alexis runs a store which, according to what someone said, sells "botanicals".The 'hood is typical of what one would expect in New York City. People have lots of friends but they have a funny way of being friendly. People from quieter neighborhoods might assume they are all being mean to each other.The power goes out and there is looting. Chino ends up in jail. Earlier, Lisette was trying to get a stereo fixed, or a new stereo. She refuses to pawn her wedding ring, at least at first. Lisette refuses welfare when it comes down to that. for a while. And gets humiliated when she tries to use her benefits.Magdalena, who Chino was with once, claims her baby is his and if he will just own up to it, he can have a job at her bodega, which she runs with her father.Lisette did get paid for modeling once, so she goes to a modeling agency where the receptionist is quite rude. Val walks in, looking like she has been successful in the business, but she's actually looking to hire a model, not be one. Her record company needs someone to help her boss Mr. Price impress singers referred to as the Mendez Brothers. Chino doesn't want Lisette to take that job, but Lisette schemes her way into a meeting anyway and impresses Mr. Price into making her the person who knows how to make talent look good.Chino hears other details about the relationship between Lisette and Mr. Price.Throughout the rest of the movie, Lisette and Chino struggle to stay together and to keep the kids out of trouble. Chino seems abusive at first but actually comes up with creative ways to parent. And then he does something unspeakable (but not to his kids), but apparently there are no consequences. Things never get so bad they can't get better.