The true story the movie is based on, is about James Settembrino who in 1992 helped prosecutors by giving information about other drug dealers in order to get a lower sentence for his son Joey (who was also sentenced to 10 years due to Mandatory Minimum Sentencing).
The film was inspired by a documentary on PBS' Frontline about how changes in US drug laws has given deals of a minimum sentence to those guilty if they snitched on their accomplices.
When Daniel James (Jon Bernthal) takes his son away from some local gang members, one of them tells the other that James is a shot caller. Bernthal stars in a movie called Shot Caller (2017) also directed by Ric Roman Waugh.
The US Law called Mandatory Minimum Sentencing was introduced via the H.R.5484 Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, sponsored by Representative Wright James C. Jr. (Democrat-Texas).
Tanya Ballinger, the wife of director Ric Roman Waugh makes a brief cameo at the party in the beginning of the movie. Ballinger is probably best known for her role in a controversial 2003 Miller Lite commercial entitled "Catfight".