No matter whom we are, no matter where we live, we're all bound by borders. Many of us are content to live within these borders--others are simply forced to exist within them. But some of us need to break out, burst through, even if what is on the other side is both frightening and unknown. From this comes the tale of one young man's dilemma as he navigates his way through his colliding worlds. Set against Detroit's hip-hop scene in 1995, the story centers on Jimmy Smith Jr., a young white rapper, who struggles to find his voice. The people of Detroit know '8 Mile' as the city limit or a border. It is also a psychological dividing line that separates Jimmy from where and who he wants to be, as he struggles to find the strength and courage to transcend his boundaries.