Ključna beseda Former Prostitute

Travmatično otroštvo, neverjeten glas, nevarne zasvojenosti in nesrečne ljubezni, sloves najboljše jazz vokalistke vseh časov – vse to je Billie Holiday. O življenju pevke so se dejstva prepletla z miti in film je odraz prav tega. Delno biografska, delno pa fiktivna zgodba, ki nas popelje po ustvarjalni poti veličastne, a hkrati tragične Lady Day. Zgodba nas pelje skozi vsa pomembnejša obdobja glavne junakinje, od posilstva in začetkov v javni hiši, do nastopanja v lokalni beznici, zvezdništva in fatalnih težav s heroinom in alkoholom, ki sta jo popolnoma sesula. Je pa jasno, da Holidayjeva nikoli ne bi bila taka zvezda in taka legenda, če ne bi nenehno pila in se drogirala. Heroin in njen vokal sta šla z roko v roki.

Jerri Blank is a former prostitute and junkie whore who returns to high school as a 46-year-old freshman at Flatpoint High. Jerri ran away from home and became 'a boozer, a user, and a loser' after dropping out as a teenager, supporting her drug habits through prostitution, stripping, and larceny. She has been to prison several times, the last time because she 'stole the TV'. At home, Jerri's father Guy is comatose, although he seems perfectly capable of amazing feats. Her stepmother Sara is vain and bitter, and stepbrother Derrick is a bullying jock. Jerri tries to do things the right way but always ends up learning the wrong lesson. Her hijinks often involve, either directly or indirectly, neurotic history teacher Chuck Noblet and his secret lover, sensitive art teacher Geoffrey Jellineck.