Ed Harris directs and stars in this western as Virgil Cole, who, with his lifelong buddy Everett Hitch, plays a lawman for hire, cleaning up towns beset by bad guys before moving on. The duo's latest job is in the town of Appaloosa, which is terrorised by evil rancher Randall Bragg. But matters get complicated when Virgil falls for widow Allison French. Everett, worried his distracted friend will lose his edge when Bragg makes his move, must decide on the best course of action as, between the shoot-outs, a delicate balance between romance and friendship must be struck.