Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses

After charting a top ten hit in Mexico, the band settles there. However, many members become alcoholics, spending most days drinking tequila. Before long, more than half die from their excess, leaving a small surviving core and their road manager Igor. The survivors and Igor become naturalized Mexicans, complete with mustaches and Mexican wardrobes.

The group receives an anonymous telegram inviting them to perform at a hotel in Coney Island, New York. The invitation rekindles their sense of purpose and sets the journey in motion toward the East. They decide to reunite and pursue one last chance at fame.

In New York, the former manager Vladimir reappears under the name Moses and gathers the band. He outlines a plan to travel back to the Promised Land, Siberia, arguing it is their sacred homeland. Four band members prepare a makeshift boat for the first leg, while a fifth cousin chooses to stay behind.

Moses sneaks onto the wing of a plane, taking along the Statue of Liberty's nose as a souvenir. The audacious theft draws attention and reckless pursuit as the journey begins. This act foreshadows the absurd voyage the band will undertake.

Moses falls off the plane and ends up on a beach where the band members gather. The reunion solidifies their resolve to press on toward the east. They begin to regroup with new energy for the journey ahead.

Several friends and relatives from Siberia arrive by rented bus to join the group. Since rubles have no value along the way, Moses goes to secure gigs and money for the journey east. The logistics of financing their trek become a constant concern.

Johnson catches up with them at a hotel in Amiens, posing as a record producer. He distracts them with money to perform a show while he goes to retrieve the stolen nose. Igor intervenes and knocks Johnson unconscious during the ruse.

The next day, Moses learns Johnson's true identity and confiscates the bullets from his gun. The band decides to keep him along for the rest of the trip, though they are unsure what to do with him. His presence adds an unpredictable dynamic to the crew.

In Frankfurt, a gas station attendant recognizes Moses from a wanted poster and the band is arrested. Igor coordinates a daring escape with help from local delinquents. They perform for a small crowd before continuing their journey.

In Leipzig, Moses and a fellow band member exchange phrases from the Bible and the Communist Manifesto. They later recount the birth of a sacred calf in their homeland as a reason for the journey back home. The myth reinforces their sense of mission and belonging.

Johnson reappears in the area and renames himself Elijah after reading the Holy Bible. He proves to be a capable singer and reconnects with the band in the Czech Republic. The group gradually accepts him back into the fold as a key performer.

In Poland, one band member falls ill and Moses claims they cannot afford a hospital. Elijah threatens the group to ditch the nose but is knocked out again. After playing for money, Moses earns enough to pay the hospital the following morning.

At the border to Russia, Moses claims that according to the Holy Bible, he may never see the promised land. Vladimir, in a distraction, turns in empty bottles to customs while the others sneak the bus across. They inch closer to their final destination as the journey nears its end.

Back home at last, the band leaves gifts for the newborn calf and hosts a party to celebrate their return. Elijah is left alone with the nose, signaling the surreal and open-ended nature of their odyssey. The journey closes with a sense of both achievement and lingering mystery.