Charlie Lang (Nicholas Cage) is a neighbourhood cop with a heart of gold and a money-hungry wife Muriel (Rosie Perez) who's always looking for a way to cash in. When she asks Charlie to buy a lottery ticket, he agrees then impulsively promises half the winnings to a waitress, Yvonne (Bridget Fonda). When the numbers hit the real fun begins as Muriel learns to live large while Charlie and Yvonne learn to love again...