Young American Billy brings a red-stained shirt to the dry-cleaning business of an elderly Italian couple. After he leaves, they spend hours spinning increasingly intricate, improbable yarns about the origin of the stain. This, in turn, leads them to wonder about Billy's identity. Is he a hot-blooded lover in the midst of an affair? A super spy? A chess-boxing champion? All of these, perhaps? And why did he venture abroad in the first place?

Jack, a Palm Beach detective, becomes involved in a case of multiple murders. All the women can be linked to Jack in some way. Jack and his partner have no leads, but numerous suspects. The murders continue, along with anonymous letters from the killer.

A Chinese-American lesbian and her traditionalist mother are reluctant to go public with secret loves that clash against cultural expectations.

در سال ۱۹۸۴ زیردریایی اتمی شوروی موسوم به «اکتبر سرخ» به آب انداخته می شود. فرمانده زیردریایی، «ناخدا مارکو رامیوس» (کانری)، پس از کشتن افسر امنیتی زیردریایی، با هم یاری افسران ناراضی، موفق می شود از ناوگان دریایی شوروی بگریزد. و حالا سؤال اصلی این است که هدف «رامیوس» از این کار چیست؟