An alien spaceship, piloted by a runaway slave from a distant planet, crash lands in New York harbour. From it emerges a bedraggled, bewildered extra-terrestrial. Alone in New York, he is fair game for shysters, pushers and hookers - but worse is yet to come when two intergalactic bounty hunters beam down to recapture him. Writer/Director Sayles humorously mirrors modern society through the innocent eyes of this alien brother.