When fading hitman Roy (Ben Foster) escapes an attempt on his life by a mob boss, he knows he is living on borrowed time. Releasing Raquel (Elle Fanning), a young prostitute also tied up, she latches on to her new protector and they travel to Galveston, Roy's hometown to plan for retribution and an uncertain fate. The screenplay has been adapted by Melanie Laurent from the novel Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto.