- After a traumatic experience we follow Riley through his trials and tribulations living with OCD. This is a story about love, hope and recovery.
- Riley Freeman, 28, is a strong-minded character who has been roughed up through his harsh upbringing. His hard attitude is a result of his working-class background and his struggle to support his mother and two younger brothers. His girlfriend Jessica, has had a comfortable upbringing, supportive parents, private school education which has led her to a secure, well-paying job. She has a straight-forward personality, is intelligent, meticulous and somewhat selfish, caring highly for her career and future. Riley and Jessica are fast asleep when they hear a thunderous "smash" of breaking glass coming from the living room. Riley warily goes to investigate. As he reaches the living room he comes face-to-face with a masked figure. Riley takes a swing at him but the robber escapes. This frightening experience stimulates Riley's OCD from that point on. He is obsessed with the thought of someone trying to cause harm to himself and loved-ones which impacts all areas of his life from relationships to work. Riley explains his thoughts to Jessica over a drink at the local pub. "Try not to think of a black bear," he says, "and all you can't think of is exactly that". Throughout the story we follow Riley and his encounters with the black bear as they shape his life. He develops a routine that he obsesses over ever night to ensure his and Jessica's safety. Every night around midnight he slips out of bed and locks all the doors and windows repeatedly, compulsively. The audience anxiously watches this routine as Rileys fears playback in a dream-like sequence. Then one night Jessica does all that she can in order to draw Riley away from his duties. To no avail she simply has to let him continue. Through the help of Riley and his good friend Shane, Riley starts a recovery process to claim back his life. He starts taking therapy session in a local church, when he comes across Jeffrey, one of the group leaders. Through an empowering story of his battle with depression, Jeffrey captivates Riley and helps him see the light at the end of the tunnel. This chance encounter forms the rebirth of Riley's character as he strives for a better life, learning to handle his condition in a healthy way. This is the moving story of a man's battle with his mental illness.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content