Recently out of work, Dennis Nash, portrayed by Andrew Garfield, is a single father living in Orlando, Florida, who faces the harsh reality of being evicted from his family home alongside his mother Lynn, a dedicated hairdresser played by Laura Dern, and his young son Connor. The foreclosed home they once shared is now in the hands of ruthless real estate operator Rick Carver, characterized by Michael Shannon, who manages the eviction process with the help of local police officers who refer to him as "boss." With his family now relocated to a cramped and shabby motel room, Dennis grapples with the challenges ahead.
Desperate to retrieve his stolen tools, Dennis confronts Rick at his office. Impressed by Dennis' determination, Rick offers him a position as a repairman at his properties, which Dennis gratefully accepts. As he steps into this new role, Dennis swiftly becomes Rick's right-hand man, directly participating in the evictions and gaining a bloody education in the exploitative real estate schemes that take advantage of struggling homeowners. Interestingly, both Rick and Dennis share similar backgrounds, with Rick revealing his disillusionment with the system he once fought against. He argues that it’s wiser to be the hunter rather than the hunted, a philosophy that soon influences Dennis.
Through his new job, Dennis finds himself entangled in a world of wealth and excess that Rick enjoys. However, his desire to reclaim the family home pushes him to forgo immediate payment from Rick, opting instead to gather funds to repurchase his house. Despite Rick's warning to resist becoming emotional about real estate, the duo concocts a plan to buy back Dennis's old home, even if the legalities complicate a quick move back.
As the story unfolds, Dennis encounters a fellow evicted homeowner whose hostility reveals the moral repercussions of his new line of work. This man accuses Dennis of participating in unethical evictions, casting doubt on Dennis's intentions and causing tension within his family as his mother and son become apprehensive about his means of income. Determined to escape their motel life, Dennis makes a drastic decision to sell their former home and buy a lavish new property. Initially met with disbelief from his mother when he introduces them to their ostensibly new life, she soon realizes the cost of this transition: Dennis is now linked to Rick's predatory actions against vulnerable individuals.
Further complicating matters, Rick initiates a high-stakes real estate deal that hinges on his ability to evict a homeowner embroiled in a legal dispute. As the deal teeters on the brink of destruction, Rick engages in unethical behavior, passing off a forged eviction document to Dennis for delivery to the court—a move that places the latter in a serious ethical dilemma. Ultimately, Dennis succumbs to the pressure and complies, unwittingly contributing to the homeowner's demise. When the eviction escalates into a dangerous standoff, Dennis's conscience weighs heavily as he realizes the peril his actions have created, leading to a poignant moment when he must confront the consequences of his choices while facing the innocent family caught in the crossfire.
