Cliff Spab and his friend Joe Dice find themselves in a terrifying situation when they, along with three other individuals, are taken hostage by a group calling themselves S.P.L.I.T. Image. This group of armed, masked terrorists holds the hostages in a convenience store, where they proceed to record every moment of captivity using a video camera. Their extremist demand is broadcast live on worldwide television—if not fulfilled, they threaten to kill the hostages. True to their warning, the terrorists execute two hostages, leaving only Cliff, Joe, and a teenage girl named Wendy Pfister as survivors.
As days stretch into weeks, Cliff begins to show signs of surrendering to a nihilistic outlook on life. During a tense moment on camera, he delivers an unfiltered monologue, repeating the phrase "So F*ing What?" as he questions the importance of everything around him, marking a turning point in his mental state. His indifference to death and violence makes him a media icon. After 36 days of captivity, an intense series of events unfold; Joe manages to kill one of the terrorists, leading to a violent shootout. Cliff fights his way to freedom, even as he sustains a gunshot wound to his shoulder. Unfortunately, Joe is killed in the process, but Cliff's actions save Wendy.
Following his rescue, Cliff is taken to the hospital and quickly becomes a symbol of heroism for his role in ending the ordeal, despite his own disillusionment. His brother, Scott, picks him up, but their reunion is marked by awkwardness, especially when observing their father’s domineering attitude and their mother’s passivity. The event catapults Cliff into sudden fame: his catchphrase—S.F.W.—appears everywhere, from banners and newspapers to CDs and billboards. At Burger Boy, the fast-food restaurant where Cliff works, he finds his image used to promote a bizarre "Special $.36 Spaburger" named after him, in memory of his 36 days trapped in captivity.
Wanting to understand his newfound notoriety, Cliff visits Joe's older sister, Monica. She resents the media attention focused disproportionately on Cliff, feeling that Joe received little to no recognition. Despite her feelings, Cliff and Monica develop a close connection, culminating in an intimate relationship. The morning after, feeling overwhelmed and disillusioned with the media frenzy and public scrutiny, Cliff decides to leave town. He seeks refuge with Morrow Streeter, who introduces him to the elegant home of Morrow’s sister, Janet, a lawyer. Janet encourages Cliff to leverage his fame for personal gain, but feeling purposeless, Cliff hitchhikes away from the city.
Throughout his journey, Cliff is fawned over by strangers who see him as a hero—one couple even gives him a ride and idolizes him. Eventually, he ceases running from the media glare altogether, hosting a video clip show, attending press conferences, and making public appearances. Deep down, Cliff's true desire is to reconnect with Wendy; however, her parents oppose this relationship. Ultimately, Wendy visits Cliff, and together they escape the prying eyes of the media to revisit the convenience store—which has now been closed down and barricaded as a crime scene. Wendy hints that the site might be turned into a memorial park, symbolizing a silent tribute to their ordeal. The two share an emotional moment and rekindle their connection with intimacy.
Their story reaches a climax when they appear publicly at a high school event, receiving a thunderous standing ovation from students chanting "So F*ing What!" However, amidst this chaos, a student named Barbara "Babs" Wyler remains silent and angry. Disagreeing with the apathy she perceives in Cliff and Wendy’s philosophy, she pulls out a gun and, in a burst of passion, yells "Everything matters!" before firing and seriously wounding both of them. This shocking act diverts media attention onto Babs, who is swiftly arrested, booked, and indicted for attempted murder. Her words—"Everything matters"—gain national recognition and become the new catchphrase, replacing Cliff’s iconic slogan. Though it signifies a different philosophical outlook—lessnihilistic and more engaged—this phrase also captures the attention of the public and media alike.
Sharing a hospital room, Cliff and Wendy recover from their injuries, both deeply affected by the events. Despite the chaos and brutality, they decide to get married, affirming their bond amid the tumult of their lives forever altered by that harrowing experience.
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