A Wonderful Life Logline: Action/Drama: A Firefighter trapped in an apartment fire on Christmas Eve, finds himself transported back in time

and into the life of his abused ten year old cousin. Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, seasoned firefighter, Joe Stanton, learns that hes adopted just hours before he and his fellow firefighters rush to the scene of an apartment fire. Joe and a team of firefighters discover, Walter Randall in his apartment unresponsive and clutching a Christmas present in his hands. In the background, the movie, Its a Wonderful Life, is playing and Joe becomes caught up in the parallels between his own life and that of the distraught Randall. The team manages to rescue Randall moments before a gas explosion rocks the foundation of the apartment and Joes world. Joe is trapped in the apartment and somehow transported back in time to 1973 and into the body of his then ten year old cousin, Stan. Joe becomes the target of Stans alcoholic and abusive father. Stans mother is also the target of the mans heavy handed discipline. Joe must try to survive a childhood he has never experienced and learns that he has never been born in this alternate past and that his biological father is in prison for the murder of Joes pregnant mother. He tries to escape with Louise, Stans mother. The pair is captured by the state police and Joe is returned to Roberts home while Louise is in jail charged with auto theft and kidnapping. The Department of Child Services steps in to try to protect Joe, but he refuses to tell them anything that would cause Robert to be arrested and charged with abuse. After the social worker and the police leave, Joe takes matters into his own hands and overpowers Robert and confronts him about his abusive ways. Robert too had been a victim of child abuse and Joe convinces him that he is the only one who can stop the cycle of abuse. Robert actually changes and becomes the father he had always wanted to be and the scares to the family heal over time. The following Christmas Eve Joe and Robert are watching, Its a Wonderful Life, and Joe is transported back to the present. He is rescued from the apartment fire. He discovers that the life of his cousin has changed while his own life has continued uninterrupted. Joe goes to visit his biological father, who is a patient in a mental hospital, hoping to connect with him. His fathers cell is filled with drawings of Christmas trees and presents all addressed to Joe. But when Joe tries to connect with him, the man is expecting to see his son as a child and refuses to accept Joe as an adult. Then his abusive nature is revealed in his anger toward Joe. Joe returns to his home and family and life continues for them despite the shadows of the past.