Eddie Presley is a down on his luck ex-Elvis impersonator. With his days of fromer glory performing in small to medium-sized clubs behind him, he's stuck in a dead-end security job, making barely enough to live out of his van. But Eddie's luck is about to change when he's offered a comeback gig at a seedy Hollywood nightclub... until he has a breakdown on stage and gives the audience a powerful, improvised performance they'll not soon forget.

As Zipper's Clown Palace (a strip bar) closes, Neil wanders in and decides to hold the dancers, bartender, and remaining customers hostage. He torments them with little tasks he wants performed, playing on their weaknesses and relying on his gun for intimidation. Eventually the hostages begin formulating plans to thwart his control. Meanwhile, two policemen are observing the outside of the strip joint, realizing that something's wrong and trying to decide if it's worth ruining their buzz to intervene.