Clay Pigeons is the story of a young man named Clay Bidwell (Joaquin Phoenix) who is struggling to come to grips with his friend’s tragic suicide. His friend killed himself, due to Clay’s torrid affair with his wife, who Clay now refuses to see as it brings back horrible memories. The troubled Clay encounters a new man (Vince Vaughn) and town who he seems to have a lot in common with. Little to his knowing, the man is a brutal and wanted serial killer. The killer even confesses his crimes to Clay, who refuses to turn him in because he would feel hypocritical as he indirectly killed his friend. As Clay is always seen near the murder scene, he becomes the prime suspect as serial killer and must find some way to keep his friend and his innocence.