Crackers

Weslake is laid off from his job and ends up working in a low-paying position at Garvey's pawn shop in 1980s San Francisco. He keeps a homeless friend named Turtle, who wanders the city in search of something to eat. The precarious balance of his life sets the stage for the tensions to come.

Dillard, an amateur musician, and Ramon, an undocumented immigrant living with his sister Maria, visit Garvey's shop to buy back the guitar that was pawned earlier. They offer a stolen car radio as partial payment, but Garvey finds it insufficient. The encounter hints at looming trouble and sets the stage for a more consequential deal.

Garvey proposes a deal: Dillard should install an alarm system in the shop, leveraging Dillard's electrician skills. Dillard is reluctant, while Ramon argues that having an alarm might give Garvey the confidence to leave the shop more often. The idea plants the seed for the later break-in plan.

Boardwalk, a pimp who has just been left by his girlfriend with his small child, overhears the discussion. He urges Weslake to report the plan to Garvey, but Weslake realizes that Garvey leaving the shop could cost him his job. He chooses to stay quiet and weigh joining the crew instead.

Weslake rejects informing Garvey and instead joins Dillard, Ramon, Boardwalk, and Turtle in the attempted robbery. He becomes the brains of the operation, designing a plan to break into the shop's large safe. This marks a turn from reluctant employee to central organizer.

The crew hatches the break-in plan, detailing routes, timings, and each person's role. Weslake outlines how to navigate the alarm system and reach the vault without triggering attention. The tension builds as they prepare to move from talk to action.

Garvey announces that he's leaving the shop to visit his old mother. The absence creates the window of opportunity the group has been waiting for. They ready themselves to execute the break-in while he is away.

The group goes through with the break-in but encounters several problems along the way. They discover that the vault Garvey claimed to have is empty, since he hasn't stored valuables there for years. The attempt ends up chaotic and fruitless.

Garvey returns drunk from visiting his mother and finds the would-be robbers inside his shop. He seems unaware of their criminal intent and is instead relieved to see friends around him in his lonely moment. The scene flips expectations and deepens the odd bond between them.

With no real loot and no confrontation, the group parts ways, but the night leaves a strange sense of camaraderie. Garvey remains oddly hopeful about his 'friends' and the support they offer in a hard time. The film closes on a note of fragile optimism despite the near-miss.

Throughout the film, Turtle the homeless friend remains a constant presence, wandering the streets while seeking food yet staying connected with Weslake and the others. His resilience underscores the harshness of their world and the fragile social ties that hold them together.

Ramon lives with his sister Maria, a family link that grounds his personal story in a broader sense of belonging. Maria's presence adds emotional stakes to their attempts to improve their lives and stay connected to family.