Wayne Dobie (De Niro) is a Shyness Chicago Police Department crime scene photographer who has spent years on the job without ever drawing his gun; his colleagues jokingly call him "Mad Dog". Mad Dog saves the life of mob boss Frank Milo (Murray) during a hold-up in a convenience store. Milo offers Mad Dog a gift in return: for one week, he will have the "personal services" of Glory (Thurman), a young woman who works as a bartender at Milo's club.