At twenty-two years old, Desiree Flowers is ready to put her hard-earned master's degree to work and leap into the workforce. Through her sacrifices, the love of her life and father to her son stood in her corner, cheering her on and advising her how to navigate the road to success. Despite her determination to succeed, Desiree finds herself flailing in a downward spiral instead of moving on up. After crossing a professional boundary, she finds herself faced with blackmail and constant episodes of degradation. With her man focused on his pimping game, Desiree is left to fend for herself, and it becomes evident that she is in over her head. Although met with one obstacle after another, Desiree is determined to live the high life as depicted in an old sitcom series she grew up on. Willing to do whatever it takes to make it her reality, she encounters personal struggles and unthinkable horrors as she tries desperately to move on up.