Set in the 1950’s, a blacklisted screen writer, Peter Appleton (Jim Carrey), has not only had his film pulled, and contract cut, but is also facing charges of Communist activity. Peter drinks himself into a daze and inevitably ends up in a car accident that puts him in the small town of Lawson with no memory of who he is or how he got there. Lawson is a small town suffering from depression over losing so many of its young men in World War II. Peter bears the resemblance of one of the young men, Luke Trimble, who is missing in action. Peter, not knowing who he is, listens to the stories about Luke and becomes convinced he must be this man. Peter connects with Luke’s father (Martin Landau), and falls for his high school sweet heart (Laurie Holden). But this newfound life disintegrates once Peter’s memory returns.