Howie Blitzer (Paul Franklin Dano) is a teenager who is thinking about jumping to his death from the Long Island Expressway barrier. His mom already killed himself that way. His dad is gone as well, due to the criminal justice system, and his pal Gary (Billy Kaye) wants to take off for California. Howie and Gary had been burglarizing wealthy homes up until that point. They try to rob Harrigan (Brian Cox), but he turns out to be a former Marine and also a child molester. Still, Howie looks up to him as a substitute father because he is so needy and puzzled. Howie must decide if he will give in to his desire to die or find a way to overcome it.