Intrigue

A young Texas mechanic tries to save a dim-witted relative from the mob. There's also something about the murderer of the mechanic's father, who's been in prison for 20 years, thanks to his testimony as a child.

Earl's engaged to his step-sister Baby. Baby has entrusted him to take care of her misfit cousin Junior. Baby is also intent on leaving Texas for LA on Tuesday. When Junior and his recently released ex-con friend Tinker rob a pizza delivery boy and end up with $20,000 of drug money Earl is forced onto the scene, giving up his and Baby's LA money to save Juniors limbs.—kwedgwood@hotmail.com

Earl Crest (Joshua Jackson), a young Southerner in Bennet, Texas, who has to work hard at keeping his friends and family out of trouble. He is in a relationship with his step-sister Baby (Jamie King), although they are somewhat justified in that he and Baby were together before their respective parents even met. Earl's father was a priest who was killed in a stripper bar by a patron, when he went in there to "convert the heathens". Earl's mother married Baby's father Wayne (John Mellencamp). Wayne gets monthly disability checks from getting hit by shrapnel in Vietnam. Jimbo (Matthew Davis) is Earl's best friend, and has been openly gay for 6 years. Andy (Rodger Boyce) is the Sheriff of the town. Smyrna (Elizabeth Barondes) is the waitress at the bar which Earl frequents with Jimbo and Baby.

Baby tells Earl to keep an eye on her cousin Junior (DJ Qualls), but Junior is doing his best to get into trouble. Junior and his thuggish friend Tinker (Ryan Hurst) mug a pizza delivery boy, however when they open the bag, they have taken they discover that it actually contains $20,000 and some drugs.

Earl finds out about the mugging as Junior is suddenly spending big and Junior claims that he won the lottery but cannot remember his winning numbers. A few years ago, Tiner and Junior tried to use Earl as a getaway driver in a liquor store heist. When Earl sees them robbing the store, he drives away, leading to Tinker and Junior being arrested. Tinker gets 3-5 years in prison, and Junior gets 6 weeks in juvenile detention as it was his first offense. Earl visits Tinker and allows Tinker to knock himself unconscious. Earl confiscates the money and drugs, so that when the owners come back for it, he can return it. Turns out Tinker is a bigger goof than Junior.

However, Junior has already spent $2,000 of the money, and Earl and Baby have a little less than that in the bank money that Earl has promised will be used to take Baby to the city to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. Its Saturday and Earl has promised that he and Baby will leave for LA on Tuesday. Earl keeps the money and drugs in the locker of the bowling alley.

But then, Tinker comes by Earl's home with a gun and threatens him to hand over the stash. Earl refuses, but then Baby walks by and Tinker ends up capturing Baby. Baby beats the crap out of Tinker, but Tinker forces Earl to hand over the stash else he threatens to shoot Baby. Tinker shoots Earl, but then Baby gets herself free and mows down Tinker with his own pickup truck and saves Earl. Baby drives Earl to the doctor and he is lucky that Tinker was a bad shot.

The pizza delivery boy reports the theft of drugs to Mr. Smith (Sam McMurray). Earl tells Andy that Tinker was taking revenge for back when Earl left him outside the liquor store. He doesn't tell Andy about the drugs and the cash.

Junior is visited at home and is roughed up and given till Sunday night to return the stolen goods. Junior calls Earl who talks to the goons to arrange a transfer. The goons demand the missing $2000 and keep Junior as hostage till the $2000 is paid. Earl only has $1900 in his accounts and as a result Junior loses his Pinky finger.

To make matters worse, the man who killed Earls' father (Thomas Haden Church) has just been released from jail, and he always swore that he would come back to get his revenge on Earl. Earl was the one who identified the person in court, which led to his incarceration.

Things become more complicated when the money and drugs have been returned it turns out that they have been given to the wrong people, and now the real owners call Junior and want it back. Earl figures that Tinker, who is alive and is being kept with Jimbo, had something to do with the fake gangsters taking the money posing as the real gangsters. Turns out the fake one is Vasquez (Julian Dulce Vida) and Tinker had promised to sell the drugs to him. Tinker called Vasquez from the hospital and told him to shake down Junior to get the drugs. Earl gets Vasquez's address from Tinker and recovers the drugs and $19,900. Junior takes Vasquez's phone as recompense for his lost Pinky finger.

Baby is livid that the bank account has been emptied and orders Earl to deposit the $1900 back. Earl must work out how to make up the difference. Earl goes to meet Mr Smith, with Tinker, Jimbo and Junior, and secretly followed by the Killer. Just before Mr Smith shoots Earl, Junior gets call from Baby on his cell phone, where Baby informs Earl that she has been kidnapped by Vasquez. Earl uses the distraction to get his hands on a machine gun and makes his way out of Mr. Smith's mansion.

Earl, Jimbo, Tinker and Junior head to Vasquez to rescue Baby and are soon outgunned. Soon, they are joined by Mr. Smith and his goons, who followed them. A shootout ensues and 2 the gangs end up killing each other. Mr. Smith has Earl on gunpoint, but he is shot by the Killer, who saves Earl. Turns out Killer only wanted to apologize to Earl for killing his father. Throughout the confrontations, Tinker keeps changing sides and uses every opportunity to turn the gun on Earl.

Earl leaves with Junior, Jimbo, and Baby, taking the cash, but leaving the drugs with Tinker, and promising to call the ambulance, so he can get help. Knowing fully well that Tinker will be put in prison for possessing such large quantities of narcotics. Baby and Earl decide to leave for LA.