Peter Latang has left behind his provenance from the working-class town of Warwick, Rhode Island, to reinvent himself as a crafty fixer on Wall Street. 15 years later he returns home to the death of his grandmother, but during the trip he loses his wallet. Completely devoid of holds, the only person to whom he can turn is the neighbor Donald Treebeck, his old childhood friend. Donald has not changed at all, and a simple favor turns into a long journey through the past.