Nat Parker (Christopher Walken) and his son, Ritchie Flynn Parker (Alessandro Nivola) have a dysfunctional relationship. Nat is a conman who is responsible for Ritchie spending time in jail. When Ritchie is released he begins a new life but when his prison time comes to light he loses both his job and his girlfriend, Maggie (Amanda Peet). After all these years, Nat contacts Ritchie as he is dying from cancer and needs his son to help him travel to New Mexico for an experimental drug which may help him.