John is a conflicted underachiever, and his fiance has already begun the process of trying to shape him into the husband she expects him to be. On the night before their wedding, John is given the power to freeze time, allowing him to attempt some of the seismic life changes that his disbelieving fiance wants him to make, all on the same night. Once freed from the constraints of time and others' expectations, however, John discovers that traditional marriage holds far less appeal to him than Krav Maga, baseball bats and murder.

Based on the true life experiences of poet Jimmy Santiago Baca, the film focuses on half-brothers Paco and Cruz, and their bi-racial cousin Miklo. It opens in 1972, as the three are members of an East L.A. gang known as the "Vatos Locos", and the story focuses on how a violent crime and the influence of narcotics alter their lives. Miklo is incarcerated and sent to San Quentin, where he makes a "home" for himself. Cruz becomes an exceptional artist, but a heroin addiction overcomes him with tragic results. Paco becomes a cop and an enemy to his "carnal", Miklo.