After five years in a prison for the criminally insane, Manny (Lou Diamond Phillips) returns to Reno.

He moves into a motel and takes a job as a clerk at the Hotel El Cortez. He is befriended by Popcorn, a crippled prospector who seeks his help to persuade Russo, a wealthy gambler, to invest in Popcorns gold mine. But Manny cannot escape his past. He is hounded by Arnie, the vengeful cop who arrested him. Arnie leans on Manny to keep tabs on Jack a drug dealer who is staying at the hotel. In the meantime Jacks girlfriend, Theda learns about the gold mine and starts putting the moves on Manny. Soon Manny is caught in a labyrinth that leads to a murderous triple cross.