 Jack Nelson (Jeff Bridges) has left the jail after being condemned by a series of bank robberies. He has decided to fix his life and meets Nick (Edward Furlong), his adolescent son. But Jack has a serious problem with alcohol, which causes him to behave awful with Nick. Nick s mother died years ago and Jack has terrible memories about her. The boy doesn t go to school, so he has to work selling papers. Meanwhile, Jack works in a bank, cleaning the windows. He has musician skills playing the ukulele and tries to earn some money playing in the street. A police detective keeps watching Jack, because of his parole. Jack s dream is run away to Alaska and work there as a fisherman. However, there will be several problems for him and Nick, like an old robber partner that keeps looking for Jack in order to commit another crime, and his alcoholism. But Jack will discover that he really loves Nick, who s hanging out with his pretty neighbour, a problem girl with a prostitute mother. Jack s love for Nick will be the force that will help him to reach his dreams and keep away from problems.