In the 1970s, Bay City Police detectives David Starsky and Ken 'Hutch' Hutchinson are forced to work as partners. The macho Starsky (Ben Stiller) loves his Ford Gran Torino and recklessly pursues minor offenders, while the easy-going Hutchinson (Owen Wilson) often works alongside criminals to investigate their activity. Jewish-American drug kingpin Reese Feldman (Vince Vaughn) and partner-in-crime Kevin Jutsum (Jason Bateman) develop a new type of cocaine untraceable in scent and taste. When one of his dealers botches an operation, Feldman kills him.