Struggling actor John Person agrees to drive a blue suitcase from Los Angeles to the small town of Baker, Calif., and hand it over to a mysterious cowboy in return for having his credit card debt of $27,000 paid off. Upon his arrival, John can't find the cowboy but receives an ominously head-shaped package he's supposed to hang onto. While waiting, John gets close to Ruthie, whose psychotic boyfriend, Randy, keeps threatening to kill him.
Acting
Jon Favreau's perfect everyman bewilderment
Direction
Steve Anderson balances deadpan and cosmic dread
Writing
Dialogue that thinks it's smarter than it is—in a good way
Director
Steve Anderson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was Jon Favreau's last leading role before pivoting to directing Iron Man and becoming a blockbuster king.
The film captures that specific early-2000s indie moment when every actor wanted their own 'Barton Fink in the desert' moment.
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