Set in Melbourne in the mid-1970s is the story of Sparra Farrell, a very private man in his twenties who is trying to make a life for himself in a new city. He has found honest work and becomes engaged to the beautiful Paula. But the prospect of his new life is challenged when the charismatic Pommie tracks him down. Sparra finds himself drawn back into a world that he thought he had left behind.
An ex-convict working for a wealthy oil baron uncovers trouble while his brother becomes involved with the boss's daughter.
A married woman and a drifter fall in love, then plot to murder her husband.
A pretty factory girl falls for an ex con. He's still in love with his ex wife. Love triangle soon becomes even larger.
Resigned to a life of sadness and regret at his hideous treatment of his wife many years ago, Trevor, an aging ex-con, spends his lonely life walking his dog and staying out of trouble. One morning he stumbles upon Melissa, a woman desperate, afraid, and operating on a knife's edge of panic. She's killed her abusive husband and is frantically trying to bury him. Sizing up the situation, Trevor recognizes the pain in her eyes and sees a way to save Melissa, and to redeem himself in the process. But the price of freedom and redemption will be higher than either of them could have ever imagined...
Doc, who has just moved to Cannery Row, realizes that the only entertainment is the brothel. There he meets the spunky Suzy and they fall in love, giving them both a renewed chance at life.
The proprietor of an ice-skating revue promotes a peanut-vendor to a management position based on suggestions he made to improve the act of the show's star, who also happens to be the owner's wife. However, he soon begins to notice that his new manager is paying more attention to his wife than he believes is appropriate.
An ex-prisoner moves to an old apartment, where one gets to see in the middle of a domestic problem between a police officer, his wife and his daughter. When he tries to intervene, he will be caught in a mysterious curse.
Kleptomaniac Dorothy Lyons is paroled from prison into the custody of her sister June, secretary to "reform" politician Frank Jansen. Ben Grace, associate of crime boss Sol "Solly" Caspar, sees this as a way to smear Jansen's campaign. Seductive Dorothy will do anything to get what she wants, which includes having a good time with Ben-- whom June is now in love with.
A day in the life of a barbershop on the south side of Chicago. Calvin, who inherited the struggling business from his deceased father, views the shop as nothing but a burden and waste of his time. After selling the shop to a local loan shark, Calvin slowly begins to see his father's vision and legacy and struggles with the notion that he just sold it out.
After serving time in prison, former drug addict Sherry Swanson returns home to reclaim her young daughter from family members who have been raising the child. Sherry's family, especially her sister-in-law, doubt Sherry's ability to be a good mother, and Sherry finds her resolve to stay clean slowly weakening.
Rudolf is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. He attempted to escape many times but was unsuccessfull, he realizes that he is in for the long haul and decides that his wife Sandra should remarry for the sake of their children Melody and Mark who have been made to believe anyway that he is already dead. Many years has been passed he was informed that the real culprit has been caught and he is being released. However, instead of being happy, he is saddened by the fact that he cannot go back to his family anymore. Nevertheless he pretends to be a piano tuner so that he can visit his children.
Jordan White and Amy Blue, two troubled teens, pick up an adolescent drifter, Xavier Red. Together, the threesome embarks on a sex- and violence-filled journey through a United States of psychos and quickie marts.
A pair of married ex-convicts trying to go straight get jobs at a department store. A gangster who knows about their past threatens to expose it unless they agree to help him rob the department store.
An unemployed drifter, Eric Stanton wanders into a small California town and begins hanging around the local diner. While Eric falls for the lovely waitress Stella, he also begins romancing a quiet and well-to-do woman named June Mills. Since Stella isn't interested in Eric unless he has money, the lovelorn guy comes up with a scheme to win her over, and it involves June. Before long, murder works its way into this passionate love triangle.
Ex-con attempting to go straight runs across serious problems. His girlfriend gets arrested for dealing crack to an undercover police officer. In a desperate attempt to get the charges dropped against his woman, he strikes a deal with a weapons cop to turn in local gun dealers. However, the D.A. is not satisfied with the results, resulting in some serious game playing and double crossing.
Robert Dupea spends his days doing various odd jobs, drinking and womanizing until an encounter with his sister makes him revisit his past.
An ex-con moves to L.A. to find work and creates a disturbance by fighting for a position. More importantly he touches the lives of many of his neighbors including an older man dying of cancer, a young married couple whose husband is too proud to accept a lesser position which causes strife with his wife, and a young boy on the verge of getting in trouble with street gangs.
An intimate portrait of a 9 year old sociopath as he discovers his taste for killing.
A paroled convict tries to start life anew by moving with his family to a ranch, where his young son finds a puppy that is half wolf and half dog.