Max, a recently released con, is an ex-hoofer intent on forgetting his tap roots. Crime has paid Max extremely well. But now that he is back on the street after a stint in prison, Max faces an uneasy future, trapped between two very different pasts. Actor-tap dancer extraordinare Gregory Hines plays Max with depth and gusto in what turns out to be a star making performance. In fact, the American Film Institute lists TAP on its list of "Star Performances."