Matthew Shepard became a symbol of the damage caused by hatred and homophobia when his brutal murder became a front page headline across the nation. This cable original movie is based on the Tectonic Theater's play about the incident and was written for the screen and directed by one of the original authors, Moises Kaufman.

Kaufman uses a documentary style including interviews with local residents both horrified by the murderers' actions as well as those who are more opposed to homosexuality. A star-studded cast portrays the residents of Laramie, Wyoming including Christina Ricci, Dylan Baker, Peter Fonda, Jeremy Davis, and Jeneane Garofalo.