Forest Whitaker, Kim Basinger, Jay Mohr, Danny DeVito, Nick Cannon, and Carla Gugino star in director Mark Rydell's ensemble addiction drama detailing the manner in which gambling and drugs affect a variety of people's lives during the weeks leading up to a championship college basketball game. Carolyn (Basinger) is a struggling novelist whose addiction to the slots drives her to deceive her husband Tom (Liotta). Though Carloyn claims to be working on her latest manuscript at a nearby coffee shop, the reality of her situation is decidedly more desperate. Meanwhile, local maintenance worker Clyde (Whitaker) stands at the sidelines of the basketball court cheering for his little brother Godfrey (Cannon) while keeping his lingering gambling debts a well-guarded secret. In another part of town, the ageing Detective Bruner (Kelsey Grammer) methodically trails malevolent bookie Victor (Tim Roth) as Victor's small-time counterpart Augie (Mohr) patiently waits for his ship to come in. As the big game draws near and casino magician Walter (DeVito) befriends gambling-addicted novelist Carolyn, all of these disparate characters slowly come together on a tragic collision course.