Early one morning, just outside the vibrant city of Las Vegas, Nevada, the notorious Chicago crime boss Tony Castellano employs a cunning disguise as a septic worker to execute a nefarious plan. Underneath the safe house where police have taken in the crucial witness, Luella "Lu" Delano, portrayed by Cathy Moriarty, and her husband, Michael (played by Michael DeLano), Castellano stealthily pumps gasoline. Despite the efforts of law enforcement, the house is caught in a devastating explosion that not only obliterates the structure but also leaves Michael engulfed in flames. However, in the chaos, Lu mysteriously vanishes, which drives District Attorney Thomas Hassrick into a furious frenzy, as he understands the importance of Lu's testimony in the upcoming trial against the malicious Castellano.
Meanwhile, on the rain-soaked streets of Seattle, Washington, the undercover police duo, Chris Lecce played by Richard Dreyfuss and Bill Reimers as Emilio Estevez, are hot on the trail of an alleged murderer. In a fateful confrontation, Chris finds himself cornering his target inside a garbage truck receptacle. Yet, before justice can be served, a vengeful associate intervenes, snatching Chris's gun and shooting the suspect. Upon their return to the precinct, the two face the ire of their captain and are temporarily reassigned to work under the watchful eyes of Assistant District Attorney Gina Garrett. She reveals to them the case of the missing Lu Delano, tasking them with the vital assignment of monitoring Lu's friends, Brian and Pam O'Hara, in Seattle, where Lu was last known to have contact.
In a twist of fate, Chris and Gina decide to pose as an affluent couple moving in next door, enlisting Bill to play their son. This ruse sets off a series of comical and tense events, especially when Chris returns home to discover his girlfriend, Maria McGuire (portrayed by Madeleine Stowe), in the midst of packing up their life together due to his aversion to marriage after six years of courtship. After a brief reconciliation, tensions flare again as Chris is forced to confront his relationship dilemmas.
As they proceed with their undercover operation, they receive a sleek red convertible, which they are warned to return without a scratch. The comedic chaos continues to unfold as Gina attempts to craft a convincing cover story that necessitates Bill shaving his mustache for a younger appearance. Their primary mission also includes inviting the unsuspecting O'Hara family over for dinner, an idea that leads to squabbles amongst the trio.
On a busy morning, a series of blunders transpire when Bill, experiencing growing paranoia over Maria’s potential infidelity, sends Gina on a quest to follow Brian. An unexpected accident causes Gina to return with a sprained ankle, and Chris is left to deal with the curious Pam. The situation escalates when an innocent baseball thrown through the window leads Chris to meet their alluring neighbor, Barbara Burnside, deepening the tension among the undercover operatives.
As they juggle dinner preparations with the surprise return of the O'Hara family, the plot thickens when Lu makes an appearance, tying up Bill and revealing her plans to silence him to prevent him from leaking information about Castellano. In a harrowing turn of events, as the O'Hara family disposes of what they believe to be Bill’s lifeless body, Chris and Gina find themselves in a perilous chase, leading them to a watery showdown at the docks.
Amidst this chaos, Lu mistakenly takes aim at Bill, believing him to be an assassin sent by Castellano—who has been lurking nearby, ready to eliminate her once and for all. A high-stakes battle emerges, with Chris bravely charging to save the day, leading to a dramatic collapse of the dock.
In the aftermath, Lu insists on speaking with the O'Haras one last time, but tensions boil over as they all find themselves embroiled in Castellano's sinister plans, culminating in a shootout where Gina courageously intervenes, only to be wounded. With fear and chaos echoing behind them, Chris triumphs in defeating the villain, reaffirming his dedication to Maria in a heartfelt offer of reconciliation. As the curtain closes on this thrilling ride of deception and danger, Chris and Maria share a poignant moment, leaving Bill with a bittersweet view of their life through his binoculars.
