As a child, Stevie had been placed and removed from every foster home in Southern Illinois and as an adult, he was arrested for a wide range of criminal acts. Having lost touch for 10 years, Steve James revisits the friendship the now mid-twenties Fielding. During the course of filming, Steve is arrested for a horrifying crime. James struggles between his affection for Stevie and the reality of the crime he has committed while exploring the forces that shaped Stevie's life. Stevie is ultimately a film about the humanity and compassion that can be found in even the darkest and unlikely places.