A 1928 New Year's Eve bash is the setting for this film where the lives of an intriguing cast of characters intertwine. Among them are Harriet (Julie Hagerty), the socialite host; Hortense (Madonna), a materialistic lounge singer who's caught the eye of Feet Samuels (Randy Quaid); "The Brain" (Rutger Hauer), a mobster with a slew of girlfriends; Regret (Matt Dillon), a down-on-his-luck gambler; and many more.