In Providence's Italian neighborhood, Federal Hill, five young men face their choices as they become adults. Bobby, who's sort of dim, owes $30,000 to a counterfeiter who's demanding payment; he asks Ralph, a gifted cat burglar, to help and Ralph comes up with a plan. Later, Frank's dad, who is one of the Hill's top mobsters, wants to have a talk with Ralph about some of this plan. Meanwhile, Ralph's best friend Nicky falls hard for Wendy, a rich blond from Brown, and Nicky begins to imagine a future with her away from Providence. Ralph thinks Nicky's making a big mistake and sets out to prove it. When Ralph insults Frank's dad, things come to a head.