The film follows a single day in the life of an LAPD cop, Jake Hoyt (Hawke), who is scheduled to be evaluated by Detective Alonzo Harris (Washington), a highly decorated LAPD narcotics officer who could advance Jake's career. In Alonzo's car, the pair of officers observe teenage Mara Salvatrucha members dealing drugs in a park. Instead of arresting the buyers, Alonzo confiscates the drugs and tells Jake to take a hit from the marijuana. Jake initially refuses, but Alonzo puts a gun to his head and says Jake's failure to use drugs could get him killed by a street dealer.

The ending is what spoils the film as a whole is the ending that defies general
logic really as there is no chance that Alonzo leaves Jake without killing him
after paying Smiley to do it. He would finish it himself and then go to pay the
Russians without having to deal with him again in front of his neighbourhood. I
was sure that the ending would see them get involved in a shootout with the gang
from early who they had a battle with that would see Alonzo killed and Jake
carrying on in narcotics but in different manner from how he was taught,
turned out I was very wrong.