| Director | Jim Jarmusch |
|---|---|
| Budget | $453,600 |
| Box office | $1.4 million |
In New Orleans, radio disc jockey Zack lives with his girlfriend Laurette. After an argument, she throws him out of their apartment. Later, an acquaintance offers Zack money to drive a car across town. Zack accepts and is subsequently arrested when police discover a corpse in the vehicle’s trunk.
Meanwhile, small-time pimp Jack is set up by a rival. He is sent to a hotel room to meet a prospective prostitute, only to discover that the girl is underage. Police immediately arrest him in a sting operation.
After their convictions, Zack and Jack become cellmates in a Louisiana prison. The two men clash constantly and spend much of their time arguing. Their routine is interrupted by the arrival of Bob, an Italian immigrant imprisoned after he killed a man with a billiard ball, thrown in return fire at his attackers after he was caught cheating at cards. Bob’s cheerful disposition and fractured English initially annoy Zack and Jack, though they gradually warm up to him.
After several months in prison, Bob reveals that he’s discovered a way out. The three men escape into the storm sewer system and emerge outside the prison walls. They flee into the Louisiana bayou and wander through swamps and marshland for several days.
Lost, they struggle to find food and determine their location. Growing frustrated with one another and their inability to navigate the wilderness, Zack and Jack decide to part ways. Bob pleads with them to stay, having just caught a rabbit for dinner. Zack and Jack eventually return to Bob's camp and he shares the roasted rabbit with them.
The escapees come across a remote roadside restaurant called Luigi's Tin Top. Zack and Jack convince Bob to enter while they wait outside. When they finally enter, they find him conversing in Italian with Nicoletta, an Italian immigrant who inherited the restaurant from her late uncle. Bob professes his love for Nicoletta as she welcomes the two other men inside, feeds them, and gives the men clothing that had belonged to her uncle. Bob and Nicoletta become inseparable over dinner. Realizing that his future now lies with her rather than with his fellow escapees, Bob accepts Nicoletta's offer to stay.
The following morning, Zack and Jack prepare to continue their journey. Bob bids farewell to Zack and Jack and remains behind with Nicoletta at the restaurant. Zack and Jack walk together until they reach a fork in the road. The two men part ways without hostility, Zack taking the road to the right and Jack the one to the left.