Popular New York film critic, Terry Thorpe (William H. Macy), finds himself in messy predicament when he accidentally kills his lover during a spat. He immediately covers up his involvement and leaves the apartment without knowing that a private investigator (James Cromwell) has been spying on the woman for her ex-husband. Realizing his opportunity, the investigator launches a plan to blackmail Thorpe. Meanwhile the police enter the picture and detective (Adam Arkin) targets Thorpe as the chief suspect while also trying to advance his own dreams of becoming a screenwriter. Thorpe's regular girlfriend (Felicity Huffman) becomes suspicious of all the strange activity as Thorpe tries desperately to cover up his own foul play and ward off all the bribing schemers trying to profit from his misfortune.