A down-on-his-luck piano player (Denis Leary) at the Blue Cat Lounge is offered a chance to make some big money by a private detective friend (Michael Badalucco). All the piano player has to do is convince his sultry singer girl friend (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon) to seduce a multi-millionaire (Terrence Stamp), who has eyes for her. By getting photos of the two of them together, he will be able to get money from the wife, who would like to divorce him. Unfortunately the singer falls for the millionaire. The detective tries to call off the scam, but the pianist already has dollars floating before his eyes. The pianist also has dreams of being a writer. Throughout the film, a fictional sub-story flashes in as he writes about Cousin Matt (Danny Nucci), who is also seeking to escape his unpleasant existence. Of course events in the fiction coincides with the events the pianist is caught up in.