Hot-shot, New York attorney, Gavin Banek (Ben Affleck) & recovering alcoholic Doyle Gibson (Samuel L. Jackson) find their lives become intertwined on the evening of Good Friday when their cars collide. Late for a meeting, Banek gives Doyle a blank cheque to cover the damage, whilst Doyle's car is a write-off & he is late for a custody-hearing. But not only have their cars collided, they also end up accidentally walking away with important files of each others; in fact Doyle loses his house & family because of it. Thus begins a cat & mouse game to retrieve the files & it seems neither man is ready to play clean.