 In a drab Midwestern industrial town, blue collar war veteran Joe Adams, popular with friends and neighbors, inexplicably murders flamboyant magician Maximilian for unclear reasons. Although hordes of police and snipers surround his tiny one room apartment and escape seems impossible, Joe refuses to surrender. During the siege he reflects about his romantic relationships with two women, wholesome Jo Ann and hardened showgirl Charlene, both of whom also share a history with Maximilian.