Michael Williams (Nicolas Cage) is supposed to get a job in Texas, but it doesn’t work out for him. Wayne Brown (J. T. Walsh), a bar owner, mistakes Michael for a hitman that Wayne had hired to get rid of his disloyal wife, Suzanne (Lara Flynn Boyle). Michael takes advantage of this mix-up because he desperately needs the money. Michael goes to warn Suzanne of Wayne’s plan, and she wants to pay him more money to get rid of Wayne. Michael decides to get out of town when the real hitman, Lyle (Dennis Hopper) arrives, but as fate would have it, various events and circumstances prevent him from doing so.