Cinematic Masterpieces

Pressure, Pleasure, Pain follows teenaged basketball prodigy Daniel Read. After winning a high school game, he hugs his girlfriend Robin. In the distance, Shannon glares at them. A troubled girl with expensive tastes, Shannon is secretly dating successful lawyer Marty, who is married. At school, Daniel receives anonymous love letters.

Gun violence and drugs plague their neighborhood. Daniel befriends reformed dealer Mike, who warns the boy away from his path. Daniel and Robin schedule a date. However, in a radio contest one of his friends unexpectedly wins tickets to a Washington Wizards game. Daniel goes to the game, but forgets to tell Robin. She waits for him at the theatre for hours.

Apologetic, Daniel walks her home, but the couple are mugged. A traumatized Robin further distances herself from Daniel, right when he’d been hoping to escalate their relationship through sex. He starts having wet dreams featuring other women. While out to buy his father’s medicine, Daniel learns that Mike was shot dead. He and his friends attend the man’s funeral.
One day, Shannon’s mom is hospitalized. Shannon visits Marty at a hotel. He introduces her to one of his secret lovers. Disgusted, Shannon breaks up with him. After experiencing health issues, Shannon sees a doctor, who informs her that she has HIV. When Marty refuses to help, Shannon tells the police about their affair. He is found guilty of statutory rape.
Shannon resorts to prostitution to pay the bills. At a house party, she confesses to Daniel that she is his secret admirer. The two kiss and strip, but Daniel pulls away. He runs off to Robin’s house, where the couple reconcile. Soon after, one of Daniel’s best friends JC discovers that he has HIV. To Daniel, JC confides that he had sex with Shannon during the house party. A broken JC later strangles Shannon to death. JC is arrested and hangs himself in prison. As the neighborhood heals from the incident, Daniel’s father reflects on the good choices his son has made. Mr. Read and Robina cheer for Daniel at a Division 1 college basketball game.