It should all of have been so easy. Hotshot prosecution lawyer Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) takes on one final case for the DA's office before starting a prestigious new career in corporate law. He has a confession, a murder weapon, a motive, a victim and the suspect Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) was arrested at the scene. As the case unfolds it turns out it is not the open and shut case it first seemed. The victim isn't dead, the weapon wasn't fired and Crawford is now denying it. As the case, his career and life crumble all around him, Willy must fight to save himself and the victim before Ted Crawford gets away with murder.