In the sleepy town of Santa Rosa, California, Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton) cuts hair in his brother-in-law's barber shop. His wife, Doris Crane (Francis McDormand) works as a bookkeeper at Nirdinger's Department store for "Big Dave" Brewster (James Gandolfini). A man of few words and little action, Ed learns of an investment opportunity while cutting hair and wants $10,000 for it. Thinking he will approach "Big Dave" for the money, Ed and Doris have the boss and his wife over for dinner. Ed watches as it appears his wife is having an affair with her boss. So, Ed decides, then, to blackmail "Big Dave" for the money because the department store is owned by "Big Dave's" wife's family and "Big Dave" wouldn't want to lose that. This one action by a man who normally does very little sets off a chain of events. By continuing to do little, Ed watches as the events unfold to his benefit but not at all as he would have predicted.