The story unfolds during May 1969, but more significantly in February 1973, just outside of Houston, Texas—specifically, in Sugarland. Here, Clovis Poplin finds himself nearing the end of his one-year prison sentence for petty larceny, currently serving his time at the TDC Pre-Release Facility. Meanwhile, his wife, Lou Jean, has just been released from prison herself and arrives with a desperate plan: to break Clovis out. The urgency of her decision stems from the loss of their child to foster parents who are eager to adopt Baby Langston. If Clovis refuses to join her in this reckless scheme, she threatens to leave him for good.
Both Clovis and Lou Jean lack education and common sense; Clovis is portrayed as somewhat naïve while Lou Jean displays qualities that make her beautiful yet troublesome—she is impulsive, ignorant, and exhibits borderline sociopathic tendencies. Interestingly, Lou Jean cleverly disguises herself by wearing Clovis' clothes beneath her own, allowing them to sneak out of the facility by posing as friends visiting Clovis' fellow inmate, Hubie Nocker.
Once outside, they manage to hitch a ride with Hubie's elderly parents, who drive less than 25 miles per hour on the freeway. However, their escape hits a snag when they are stopped by Officer Maxwell Slide, a rookie patrolman who merely issues a warning citation. Sensing danger, Clovis and Lou Jean resort to stealing the elderly couple's 1956 Buick Roadmaster, leading to a chaotic flight over the Brazos River and through Richmond until they crash the vehicle near a slough.
In one dramatic moment, Lou Jean pretends to be injured, which culminates in the kidnapping of Patrolman Slide at gunpoint. Thanks to Slide’s lack of experience, the couple manages to gain his reluctant cooperation. Meanwhile, Captain Tanner, a seasoned police officer in the midst of a court hearing in Houston, must abandon the proceedings to manage the unfolding crisis. Although he sympathizes with Clovis and Lou Jean’s predicament, he is torn between his conscience and professional duty.
As the story progresses, local radio broadcasts reveal the Poplins' backgrounds—Clovis hails from Crowley, and Lou Jean is an unemployed beautician from Sayers. Their journey takes them to various stops, including a porta potty and gas stations, where they encounter multiple police forces that inadvertently contribute to their chase. Ultimately, they take refuge at a used car lot near an old drive-in movie theater, where Slide is handcuffed in the backseat of a police car, while Clovis and Lou Jean hide in an RV.
In an attempt to persuade Lou Jean to surrender, Captain Tanner even brings her father to communicate via police radio, who, unfortunately, only reinforces her feelings of abandonment and paranoia. The following day, chaos ensues when an unpredictable trio of armed individuals seek out Lou Jean and Clovis, leading to further tensions with law enforcement. In an ironic twist of fate, Clovis is wounded in a confrontation with the police, and despite their desperate attempts to escape to the Rio Grande, he succumbs to his injuries just as they seem poised to cross the border.
After Clovis’ tragic death, Lou Jean is taken into custody, and Officer Slide receives accolades from Captain Tanner for his bravery in handling the situation. Ultimately, Lou Jean serves a 15-month sentence out of a 5-year term but emerges from prison with the potential to regain custody of her child, touching upon the complex themes of love, desperation, and the repercussions of their ill-fated decisions.
