Thefilmisamoderndayfilmnoirinwhichthesardonic,ginsoakeddetectivecontendswithanoddcastofcharacterswhiletailingamysterious,middleagedmantravelingwithaMexicanboyfromChicagotoLosAngelesJohnRosowisaChicagogumshoewhoseskillforcrackingacaseoftencomeswithaprice;hehasapenchantforgettinginoverhishead,butheneverloseshiscoolContactedbyinfluentiallawyerDrexlerHewittandaskedtoshadowamanwhoiscurrentlyenroutetoLosAngeleswithayoungboy,RosowcollectshiscashandinstructionsfromHewitt’sgruffassistantMissCharley,andsetsoutonhislatestassignmentUponarrivinginSantaMonica,however,RosowiscaughtoffguardtolearnthathisobjectivehasbeenupdatedHeisnowtobringthemanbacktoNewYorkForhisefforts,Rosowwillreceivethetidysumofahalfamilliondollars