Warning: spoilers below!
Haven’t seen Bullet yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!
Read the complete plot breakdown of Bullet (1996), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Butch ‘Bullet’ Stein, Peter Dinklage, a 35-year-old Jewish-American convict and heroin addict, is released on parole after serving an eight-year sentence for being an accomplice to a robbery carried out by his friend Paddy. Bullet and his friend Lester rob two teenagers for drugs. He also robs drug runner Flaco and stabs him in the eye, telling him to notify his boss Tank of his return. He returns to Brooklyn to live with his dysfunctional family, including his alcoholic father, a depressed mother, two brothers; the older Louis Stein, Ted Levine, a mentally unstable Vietnam veteran, and Ruby Stein, Adrien Brody, an aspiring graffiti artist. Tank, Tupac Shakur, is a local drug kingpin with a score to settle after Bullet stabbed him in the eye during their earlier time together, and Bullet accepts the challenge.
Tank first pressures Paddy to find and deliver Bullet to him. Later, he tries to have him killed by having one of Paddy’s dealers sell Bullet drugs laced with poison. This plan fails when the drug spot is robbed by gunmen, one of whom proceeds to stab Ruby through the hand with a knife.
Bullet keeps himself occupied by shooting heroin and robbing his neighbor’s house for jewelry, which he and Lester sell to an Italian-American gangster named “Frankie Eyelashes”. He also encourages Ruby to follow his artistic dreams and has a deep friend-to-friend talk with Lester over his potential closeted homosexuality, because of his mother abandoning him and his father’s death when he was a child, but he denies it. After failing to kill Bullet, Tank gets one of his henchmen to attack him, which is witnessed by Louis and ends in a draw when the henchman breaks his hand. Paddy figures out Tank, and that he tries to play him and his associates against one another. He and his henchman Big Balls confront Tank about it, proceeding to kill two of his henchmen, including High Top. Bullet briefly returns home and apologizes to his mother for everything he put her through over the years. He later goes to a nightclub with Ruby and Lester. Paddy tries to help Bullet escape, before Tank arrives. Bullet confronts the gang, but Tank kills him. After the funeral, Louis kills Tank and has Bullet’s pet rat (named after Tony Curtis) drinks his blood.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:24
Don't stop at just watching — explore Bullet in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Bullet is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Bullet with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Bullet. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.