布鲁诺(杰瑞米•雷尼尔 饰)是一名20岁的街头混混,过活的营生是各种合法、非法的地下交易,他的女友,18岁的索尼亚(黛博拉•弗朗西斯 饰)也没正当的工作,平日靠微薄的救济津贴和他度日。 索尼亚怀孕期间,依靠钻政府政策的空子过了一段不错的日子,但在生下孩子后,生活又陷捉襟见肘境地 ,好在,布鲁诺看起来也很开心他们的生活中多出一个小生命。但索尼亚不知的是,布鲁诺的高兴劲只是佯装,他在伺机把婴儿卖掉换得一笔收入,因为他认为自己根本没能力担负起父亲的责任。Young, unmarried couple Sonia and Bruno have just had a son, who Sonia names Jimmy. Bruno, who did not visit her while she was in the hospital, scoffs at the notion of what he considers traditional employment, instead eking out a living primarily on petty crimes committed with his fourteen year old associate, Steve. He even sublets Sonia's small apartment while she is in the hospital, he sleeping either in the homeless shelter or squatting in what he calls his "shack" down by the river. On the day after Sonia gets out of the hospital, she allows Bruno to take Jimmy for a walk while she stands in line for her benefits. On that walk, Bruno makes the unilateral decision to sell Jimmy to a black market adoption agency. Upon finding out what Bruno has done, Sonia has a breakdown and falls unconscious. Fearing that Sonia will turn him over to the police when she regains consciousness, Bruno tries to get Jimmy back while he leaves Sonia in the hospital in her unconscious state. But Bruno will soon learn that regaining Sonia's trust will not be as simple as getting Jimmy back. And he will also learn that getting Jimmy back is not as easy as giving back the money.