The movie opens with William, who is precariously perched on the ledge of a bridge, contemplating the act of jumping. Suddenly startled by the unexpected presence of a stranger, Leslie O'Neal, William brushes him off, insisting he doesn't need help. Undeterred, Leslie hands William a card, hinting at his profession. In a desperate moment, William shuts his eyes and leaps, only to crash through the roof of a nearby party boat, miraculously surviving.
Returning to his mundane job as a lifeguard while nurturing dreams of becoming a writer, William faces dismissal from work after a frustrating day. Upon arriving home, he discovers a pile of rejection letters for his writing submissions. Overwhelmed, he seeks solace in pills and attempts to asphyxiate himself with the gas oven, only to find that the gas has been shut off. In his despair, he pulls out the card given to him by Leslie and makes a fateful call.
Meeting Leslie in a café, William is taken aback by Leslie's older appearance, but he insists he's an "angel of death" with a history of killing. Sharing his many failed suicide attempts, William humorously muses that perhaps he's immortal. Leslie, amused, provides William with a book detailing various ways to die, suggesting a quick bullet to the head as the best option since William only has two thousand dollars. A contract is hastily signed.
The narrative unfolds as Leslie returns to his office to formalize the contract and request a gun, noticing he has fallen low on the hitman scoreboards, overshadowed by a killer with a stellar record. At home, he shares a mundane dinner with his wife, revealing the cracks in their domestic life. Meanwhile, William crafts a suicide note and lights a cigarette, feeling strangely satisfied.
It's not long before a woman reaches out to William about his book, urging him to stay alive until they meet for lunch. Anticipating this opportunity, William decides to postpone his suicide contract but is quickly reminded by Leslie of their binding agreement. In a twist of fate, as Leslie aims for William from a distance, he accidentally shoots William's rude boss instead.
As the situation spirals out of control, William confides in Ellie, a woman he now likes, about the botched assassination contract. After a thrilling chase, they narrowly escape from Leslie, who is now entangled with his own diminishing career and a boss who is not pleased with his recent blunders.
The film dives into their growing relationship as William recounts his past traumas, leading to a moment of attempted self-harm that transitions into a passionate kiss instead. As fortunes turn, with Leslie facing some dire consequences, William and Ellie continue to grow closer.
The conclusion builds towards a chaotic yet poignant resolution as William heroically saves a child from oncoming traffic, tragically resulting in his own injury. In a moment that captures the essence of sacrifice and redemption, Ellie stays by his side, underscoring that amidst the chaos, there’s hope for connection and purpose.
In a twist of irony, the lives of all involved become intertwined in ways they never anticipated, leading to a thought-provoking exploration of life, death, and the unexpected turns of fate.
