After a six-year stint for armed robbery, lifelong Los Angeles thief Max Dembo leaves prison. As the career criminal reunites with old friends and struggles to convince his passive-aggressive parole officer Earl that he poses no threat to society, one short week separates Max from a fresh start. At last, after spending a lifetime of violence and crime, Max seems ready to go straight, get a job, and, why not, settle down. But sometimes the paradox of choice can be too much, and all it takes is one little slip-up to go back to square one, and then there is no place to go but down. In the end, is it scarier to be on the outside?
—Nick Riganas