A teenage bank robbery involving love, escalating negotiation, surrender, and a fatal act of violence.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
The Gun and the Decision
Stevie finds a gun in his mother's closet and travels toward school with Rocky. He then decides to use the gun to rob a bank.
Key Events
Gun Found in Closet — Stevie finds a gun in his mother's closet. Characters: StevieLocation: Stevie's mother's closet
Walk Toward School — Stevie travels toward school with his girlfriend, Rocky. Characters: Rocky, StevieLocation: Road to school
Robbery Decision — Stevie decides to use the gun to rob a bank. Characters: Rocky, StevieLocation: Road to school
Bank Robbery Begins — Rocky and Stevie initiate the planned bank robbery. Characters: Rocky, StevieLocation: Bank
The Bank Is Surrounded
The robbery brings police to the bank, and FBI agent Daniel Bender attempts to free the hostages. He initially approaches the standoff calmly and cooperatively.
Key Events
Bank Robbery Begins — Rocky and Stevie initiate the planned bank robbery. Characters: Rocky, StevieLocation: Bank
Police Surround Bank — Police surround the bank after the robbery begins. Characters: Rocky, Stevie, Daniel BenderLocation: Outside the bank
Bender Attempts Rescue — FBI agent Daniel Bender tries to free the hostages. Characters: Daniel Bender, Stevie, RockyLocation: Bank
Calm Negotiation — Bender initially remains calm and cooperative during the standoff. Characters: Daniel Bender, Stevie, RockyLocation: Bank
Demands and Frustration
Bender provides food, condoms, beer, and an MTV reporter by request. As the situation worsens and impossible requests fail, Bender becomes frustrated.
Key Events
Food Requested — Food is requested as one of the demands. Characters: Stevie, Daniel BenderLocation: Bank
Food Delivered — Bender gives food in response to the request. Characters: Daniel Bender, Stevie, RockyLocation: Bank
Condoms Requested — The robbers make a request for condoms. Characters: Stevie, Daniel BenderLocation: Bank
Condoms Delivered — Bender provides condoms as requested. Characters: Daniel Bender, Stevie, RockyLocation: Bank
Beer Requested — Beer becomes another demand during the standoff. Characters: Stevie, Daniel BenderLocation: Bank
Beer Delivered — Bender gives beer in response to the demand. Characters: Daniel Bender, Stevie, RockyLocation: Bank
Reporter Requested — Stevie requests an MTV reporter during the siege. Characters: Stevie, Daniel BenderLocation: Bank
Reporter Brought In — An MTV reporter is provided in response to the request. Characters: Daniel Bender, Stevie, RockyLocation: Bank
Standoff Intensifies — The situation worsens as the bank standoff continues. Characters: Rocky, Stevie, Daniel BenderLocation: Bank
Bender Loses Patience — Bender becomes frustrated as the situation continues. Characters: Daniel Bender, Stevie, RockyLocation: Bank
Impossible Requests Fail — Several impossible requests fail to resolve the standoff. Characters: Daniel Bender, Stevie, RockyLocation: Bank
Surrender and Loss
Stevie decides to surrender, and Rocky and Stevie leave the guns, money, and hostages in the bank. Their apparent escape ends when a sniper shoots Stevie as he reaches for a flower.
Key Events
Stevie Chooses Surrender — Stevie decides that he and Rocky should surrender. Characters: Stevie, RockyLocation: Bank
Weapons Left Behind — Rocky and Stevie leave the guns and money inside the bank. Characters: Rocky, StevieLocation: Bank
Hostages Left Behind — They leave the hostages in the bank as they walk away. Characters: Rocky, StevieLocation: Bank
Walking Away — Rocky and Stevie walk away from the bank together. Characters: Rocky, StevieLocation: Outside the bank
Flower Reached For — Stevie reaches for a flower in his pocket. Characters: Stevie, RockyLocation: Outside the bank
Stevie Is Shot — A sniper shoots Stevie dead as he reaches for the flower. Characters: Stevie, RockyLocation: Outside the bank
Bender Orders Sniper Down — Bender demands that the shooter be brought down from the roof. Characters: Daniel BenderLocation: Outside the bank
Story Breakdown
Gun Discovery — Stevie's discovery of a gun creates the possibility of violence.
Closet Discovery — Stevie finds a gun in his mother's closet.
Dangerous Possibility — The gun becomes the basis for Stevie's later decision.
Rocky and Stevie — Rocky and Stevie are introduced as a couple traveling together.
Girlfriend Relationship — Rocky is identified as Stevie's girlfriend.
Shared Journey — They are traveling to school together before the robbery decision.
Bank Robbery — Stevie turns the gun into a plan to rob a bank with Rocky.
Robbery Decision — Stevie decides to use the gun to rob a bank.
Police Response — Police surround the bank after the robbery begins.
Bender Negotiates — Daniel Bender attempts to end the standoff through professional negotiation.
Hostage Rescue Attempt — Bender tries to free the hostages.
Cooperative Opening — Bender initially remains calm and cooperative.
Escalating Demands — The standoff continues through increasingly difficult requests and Bender's growing frustration.
Requested Supplies — Food, condoms, and beer are requested and provided.
Media Request — An MTV reporter is requested and provided.
Fatal Surrender — The apparent surrender leads directly to Stevie's death outside the bank.
Weapons Abandoned — Rocky and Stevie leave the guns and money in the bank.
Sniper's Shot — A sniper shoots Stevie as he reaches for a flower.
When troubled teen boy Stevie (Cameron Van Hoy) and his girlfriend, Rocky (Mischa Barton), attempt to rob a bank without any forethought, the situation rapidly deteriorates. Soon the young couple is holding bank customers and employees hostage, while law enforcement gathers outside. Daniel Bender (Burt Reynolds), a veteran negotiator for the FBI, is charged with assessing the crime scene and ending the standoff as quickly as possible, but Stevie's short fuse considerably complicates matters.
