A film critic (William H. Macy) accidentally kills his lover during a spat in which she falls and hits her head. In panic, he immediately covers up his involvement and leaves the apartment. A private investigator (James Cromwell) had been tailing the woman for her ex-husband. Realizing what happened, the investigator launches a blackmail scheme. The critic turns the tables after the investigator turns in his report. Meanwhile the police enter the case. Led by a detective (Adam Arkin) with screenwriting ambitions, the chief suspect becomes the critic. But the detective's ambitions shrouds his judgment. He invites the critic to dinner and an affair with the detective's wife (Julia Campbell) is initiated. Meanwhile, the critic's regular girl friend (Felicity Huffman) is suspicious of the whole affair.