Joe Scott (Daniel Craig) is a has-been actor, who seemed to have had great success at one time but who now just spends his time drinking, doing drugs and sleeping with random women. The only person he has in his life is his personal assistant Ophelia and even she is getting tired of him. He receives a call from his mother to say his childhood best friend, Boots, whom he has not seen in years, has died. He attends a disastrous meeting with an up-and-coming director and his agent, who has lost interest in Joe. Joe learns he will not get the part he had hoped would restore his flagging career. His agent tells him that he is washed up, no one wants to work with him and quits. This upsets Joe, who goes for a walk along the beach and walks into the waves. Floating in the sea, he remembers his teenage life.