Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal are two wisecracking, best-buddy street cops. As they explore the grim alleyways of the city, they stumble upon Snake (Joe Pantoliano), a very small-potatoes crook with a very big briefcase containing $50,000. Since they have no evidence to arrest Snake, they must convince him to request arrest, which they do! A commanding officer orders them to go on vacation, a master criminal has vowed to kill them, and a great degree of solace is received from two friendly ladies who warm their winter nights. Hines and Crystal engage in a frantic chase on Chicago's "El" tracks (in a yellow cab pursuing a Cadillac limo!), and Hines will find himself shimmying down a cable in the vast rotunda of the State of Illinois Center firing a machine gun.