Charlie Mason and Rusty Fleming are star reporters on a Chicago tabloid who are romantically involved as well. Although skilled in ferreting out great stories, they often behave in an unprofessional and immature manner. After their shenanigans cause their frustrated city editor to resign, the publisher promotes Charlie to the job, a decision based on the premise that only a slacker would be able crack down on other shirkers and underachievers. His pomposity soon alienates most of his co-workers and causes Rusty to move to New York. Charlie resigns and along with gangster friend Smiles Benson tries to win Rusty back before she marries a stuffy society author.

Cully, a two-bit hustler and the driver for a Baja drug cartel, finds himself relying on skilled-but-reluctant bounty hunter Turk, to stay out of the grasps of a merciless assassin, and vicious thugs led by a rival gang leader after Cully has stolen a money car stuffed with cash meant for his boss. The duo crosses paths with Crystal, a sultry dancer with too many secrets and a greater stake in all of this than they first realize. If Cully can convince Turk to go along with his crazy schemes, he might make it back to his estranged wife and daughter alive.