Saving Grace (2000 Film) - Plot

Plot

After being unexpectedly widowed, reserved housewife Grace Trevethyn (Brenda Blethyn) discovers that her late husband ran up significant debts and left her facing foreclosure and numerous repossessions. Well liked around Port Isaac, the coastal fishing town she lives in, Grace is given emotional support by the town's inhabitants, particularly her loyal, pot-smoking gardener Matthew Stewart (Craig Ferguson), his girlfriend and the town fisherwoman Nicky (Valerie Edmond), and their friend Dr Martin Bamford (Martin Clunes). Despite wanting to help Grace, none of the residents are able to find a way to get her out of her dire situation.

Eventually Grace's financial situation reaches the point where she is unable to pay Matthew, but the gardener steadfastly insists that he will continue taking care of her property. However, in exchange he asks Grace to take a look at some plants he is having difficulty cultivating, as Grace's remarkable talent with horticulture is well known throughout town. Arriving that evening to examine the plants, Grace is surprised to discover a sickly looking grove of marijuana. Despite her initial disgust at Matthew's actions, Grace nonetheless takes one of the plants back to her home, unable to leave a "sick plant" unattended. Within 24 hours she is able to not only restore the plant to health, but has it producing small buds, much to Matthew's amazement.

Grace's life is further disrupted when a property appraiser arrives at her home, informing her that it is forcibly being put up for auction. She later learns that her husband's debts were worse than she thought, totaling more than £300,000, most owed to Rampton's, a London investment firm. The next day Grace asks Matthew the approximate value of the marijuana plant she rescued; when he informs her that, "ounce-for-ounce the really good stuff's worth more than gold," she proposes a partnership. Matthew will help her grow and sell marijuana, and after accumulating enough cash to pay off her debts the rest will be split evenly. Matthew accepts, and that evening returns to Nicky, eager to share the good news. Nicky is less than pleased, however, convinced the plan is reckless and fearing that Matthew will be caught and arrested. Now unsure of her relationship with him, Nicky holds off on telling Matthew that she has just discovered she is pregnant.

Grace and Matthew quickly start up a large and successful hydroponic grow operation in Grace's greenhouse. Sometime after Grace meets Honey Chambers (Diana Quick) placing flowers at her husband's grave, the act confirming her long-held suspicion that her husband was having an affair, based on letters he tried to have her send to an address in London. The next day she asks Matthew to guide her in smoking pot for the first time, and thoroughly enjoys the experience. While the two are high, Matthew asks her what made her decide to grow marijuana; Grace cryptically replies with Honey's London address.

As the time to harvest the marijuana approaches Grace has a chance encounter with Nicky, whose evasion of her makes her curious. The two finally talk, and Nicky asks Grace to ensure that her boyfriend won't get arrested. Moved by Nicky's plea, Grace tells Matthew that he won't be going to London to find a buyer, and subsequently sneaks off there herself. Grace's efforts to locate a dealer prove unsuccessful however, and she ultimately has to be rescued from a police station by Honey after venturing into a seedy pub. At Honey's home, Grace manages to convince the other woman to call her dealer, Vince (Bill Bailey), to try and sell the marijuana. Vince is impressed by the quality, but lacks the money necessary to buy the full 20 kilograms Grace is offering. After some pleading, Vince agrees to take the two women to someone who has enough money. Back in Port Isaac, Matthew discovers that Grace has gone to London from Dr Bamford, and follows her to Honey's house accompanied by Bamford, remembering the London address Grace told him earlier. The two arrive in time to see Vince, Honey, and Grace leave, and follow.

Vince takes Grace and Honey to a yet-to-be-opened aquatic-themed rave club where they meet with French businessman Jacques Chevalier (Tchéky Karyo). Grace impresses Chevalier by instructing him on improving his casting with a fishing rod in French, and is progressing towards a deal when Matthew and Dr Bamford arrive, nearly causing an incident when Chevalier's bodyguard China MacFarlane (Jamie Foreman) mistakes their appearance for an ambush. The situation is quickly calmed, and in a private office Chevalier and Grace negotiate a deal for the marijuana, Grace almost crying with relief when the businessman accepts. Grace, Vince, and Dr Bamford head back to Port Isaac; Chevalier secretly instructs China to take Vince and follow them to Grace's home.

Arriving back in Port Isaac to harvest the marijuana, Grace discovers that the Women's Institute is preparing to have a luncheon at her house, and that Rampton's adjuster Quentin Rhodes (Clive Merrison) is heading to the house as well to discuss the foreclosure. Grace and Matthew's friend Harvey (Tristan Sturrock) stay to harvest the marijuana while Matthew returns to town to reconcile with Nicky. At the dock, Matthew apologizes and proclaims his love to Nicky, who responds by telling Matthew that she is pregnant. The two joyously celebrate momentarily, before being informed by local barkeep Charlie (Paul Brooke) that two men have been asking about Grace; Matthew quickly identifies them as Vince and China, and returns to warn Grace while Nicky tells local Police Sergeant Alfred Mabely (Ken Campbell) that the two are actually salmon poachers, prompting him to keep an eye on the two.

At Grace's house, Grace, Matthew, Dr Bamford and Nicky all frantically attempt to dismantle the grow operation while Harvey keeps Quentin distracted in the house. Vince and China arrive at the home; when Harvey leaves to warn Grace, Vince and China slip in and confront Quentin, believing he is another buyer of the marijuana. Sergeant Mabely arrives and discovers Grace's grow operation, but rather than arresting her explains that he was well aware of her activities and decided to turn a blind eye. However, he warns her that he's called in other police officers to follow his supposed salmon poachers and leaves. Fearing their imminent discovery, Grace decides to burn the dried marijuana rather than facing possible jail time, but as she holds a lit match over the pile China arrives, holding Quentin at knifepoint and demanding Grace put the match out. Before she can it burns her fingers, and she drops it into the pile. At the same moment, a woman from the local WI arrives, surprising China and causing her to flee at the sight of a man wielding a switchblade. China chases her, only to run into the rest of the arriving women, who beat him into submission with their purses. The police arrive shortly thereafter, attempting to break up the riotous mob. Grace and her friends flee in the confusion while the huge marijuana pile burns inside the greenhouse.

Inside her house, Grace is surprised to find Chevalier. She confronts him over his betrayal, but he responds that he sent China to follow her not to steal from her, but to protect her. He goes on to express a budding romantic interest in her, which after some hesitation Grace accepts. Back outside, Dr Bamford is unable to resist the opportunity and opens the door to the greenhouse, releasing a huge cloud of marijuana smoke that envelops him and the rioting townspeople. The riot quickly turns into a pleasant, carefree celebration.

Several months later Port Isaac's residents watch a television special in the pub, detailing Grace's "mysterious" transition from an "unknown widow" to an overnight millionaire after the success of her marijuana-themed novel Joint Venture. The special goes on to detail Grace's marriage to Chevalier, as well as the mystery surrounding the large riot at her house in which "nobody could remember anything." After some interviews with other town residents, the special cuts to a live broadcast from the New York Book Awards, where Grace wins an award for her novel. In her acceptance speech, Grace thanks Matthew for helping her.