Loan shark Chili Palmer had done his time as a gangster. So when "business" takes him to Los Angeles to collect a debt from down-and-out filmmaker Harry Zimm, Chili talks tough...and then pitches Harry a script idea. Immediately, Chili is swept into the Hollywood scene: he schmoozes film star Martin Weir, romances "B" movie queen Karen Flores and even gets reservations at the hottest restaurants in town.