Joe Gavilan (HARRISON FORD) and K.C. Calden (JOSH HARTNETT) are homicide detectives working the Hollywood beat. When Joe the veteran isn't rolling his eyes over the efforts of Calden, the rookie, he sells real estate to make ends meet and has been seeing Ruby (LENA OLIN), a radio psychic. K.C., on the other hand, teaches a yoga class and wants to quit the force to become an actor.
Their boss, Leon (KEITH DAVID), sends them on their latest case, a quadruple homicide of rap artists in a city club. Its owner, Julius Armas (PERCY "MASTER P" MILLER), isn't of much help, but Joe is happy to hear that he's looking for a new place to live. Their investigation eventually leads to Antoine Sartain (ISAIAH WASHINGTON), an ex-con and now music mogul who had signed the slain men.
Things become more complicated when Bennie Macko (BRUCE GREENWOOD) of Internal Affairs begins putting the pressure on Joe. That's not only because of his suspicions about his apparent wealthy lifestyle or his dealings with a local madam, Cleo (LOLITA DAVIDOVICH), and one of her "girls," Wanda (LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS), but also because Ruby used to date Bennie.
With a hitman, Leroy Wasley (DWIGHT YOAKAM), knocking off several more people, and Joe trying to get Julius to buy the estate now occupied by movie producer Jerry Duran (MARTIN LANDAU), things become comically complicated as the two cops try to solve the case.