Goddard Bolt (Mel Brooks) wants to level a slum in Los Angeles and develop a high-tech commercial/industrial park. He owns half of the land, the rest is held another wealthy scion, billionaire Vance Craswell (Jeffrey Tambor), who has other plans for the land. Neither can acquire all of the land needed so they make a bet. Craswell bets that Bolt cannot live on the street for one month. If Bolt makes it, he gets the property. If he doesn't, Craswell gets it. Although the experience is uncomfortable and heart-wrenching, it is, as it is a Mel Brooks film, darkly funny, and Bolt learns valuable lessons about what's important in life.