Clarence (Christian Slater) falls in love with Alabama (Patricia Arquette). Oh, and she's a prostitute. So Clarence confronts her pimp Drexel (Gary Oldman) and makes an offer to buy her freedom. For a semi-geek who loves comic books and obscure martial arts films, Clarence displays amazing courage. Or maybe it's stupidity. Things go a bit awry at Drexel's place and Clarence unknowingly steals a suitcase full of cocaine. And unknowingly leaves behind his driver's license. Evil personified in the form of mobster Vincent Coccotti (Christopher Walken) shows up at Clarence's father Clifford's (Dennis Hopper) place to find out where Clarence went with the cocaine. Clifford has no clue about the cocaine, and neither did Clarence. At first. But now that he realizes he's stolen a suitcase full of cocaine from mob associates, Clarence is equal parts terrified of the men pursuing him and ecstatic at the thought of selling that cocaine in one dangerous transaction that will set him and Alabama up for life.