Night Moves

Four men involved in the stunt business collaborate to smuggle valuable Mexican antiquities into the United States. This operation is led by Tom Iverson, a pilot with a charter business in the Florida Keys.

Private investigator Harry Moseby is hired by Arlene Iverson to find her stepdaughter Delly, who has run away. Delly is described as a nymphet, and Arlene is portrayed as a selfish ex-wife relying on her daughter's presence for emotional support.

While investigating, Moseby uncovers that his wife, Ellen, is cheating on him. Instead of confronting her directly, Harry confronts her lover, Marty Heller, which further complicates his personal life.

As Moseby seeks clues about Delly's whereabouts, he befriends stunt director Joey Ziegler. Ziegler offers to assist Moseby in his search, leading to revelations about Delly’s connections with the men involved in the smuggling operation.

Moseby eventually finds Delly living with Iverson and Paula in the Keys. He tries to persuade Delly to return to Los Angeles with him, hoping to remove her from the dangerous influences surrounding her.

While on a boating excursion with Delly and Paula, Moseby discovers a downed plane belonging to stunt flier Marv Ellman. Paula deceives Moseby about the true nature of a marker she places, revealing deeper layers of deceit.

In a bid to keep Moseby distracted, Paula seduces him during their time together. This manipulation is part of a larger plan tied to the smuggling scheme that involves her and the remaining characters.

After returning to Los Angeles with Moseby, Delly is tragically killed in a car crash while performing a stunt directed by Ziegler. This accident devastates everyone involved and raises suspicions around Delly's death.

Moseby reviews footage of the accident and begins to suspect that Quentin was involved in Delly's death. He theorizes that Quentin may have murdered her after she caught him killing Ellman out of jealousy.

Moseby confronts Quentin to accuse him of murdering Delly. A physical fight ensues, but Quentin manages to escape, intensifying Moseby's quest for the truth.

Moseby returns to the Florida Keys to further investigate the smuggling operation and its connections to Delly's death. His suspicions lead him back to Iverson's charter business.

Upon arriving at the charter business, Moseby discovers Quentin's dead body. Iverson, in a moment of desperation, confesses to the murder of Quentin, revealing the dark secrets tied to their smuggling deal.

Moseby decides to enlist Paula’s help to locate the stolen artifacts from the smugglers. This leads them to a dangerous underwater confrontation involving a seaplane and the artifacts.

While attempting to recover the artifacts, a seaplane attacks their boat, leaving Moseby injured. The pilot's identity is revealed to be Ziegler, marking a shocking twist in the unfolding drama.

In the film's climax, Moseby desperately tries to steer the sinking boat to safety but fails, leaving him to drift in circles. This symbolizes his entrapment in a web of crime and his personal failures.