Angus is a large, pathetic 14 year old whose thoughts are most often filled with the image of one Melissa Lefevre. Angus is shy and thinks that he has no chance of ever ‘getting’ her. Being especially uncool, he is incredibly surprised (along with the rest of the school) that he is chosen to dance with her at the Winter Ball. The only one not surprised is the cool-kid who set him up to fail, but Angus’ best friend is going to help him win the heart of Melissa by developing a new look for him

Jesus (Willem Dafoe), a humble Judean carpenter beginning to see that he is the son of God, is drawn into revolutionary action against the Roman occupiers by Judas (Harvey Keitel) — despite his protestations that love, not violence, is the path to salvation. The burden of being the savior of mankind torments Jesus throughout his life, leading him to doubt. As he is put to death on the cross, Jesus is tempted by visions of an ordinary life married to Mary Magdalene (Barbara Hershey).