In the late 1950s on the South Dakotan plains, a teenage girl, Holly, lives a quiet life with her sign painter father, distant from the bustling world elsewhere. Her life is upended when she meets Kit, a charming and assertive garbageman several years her senior with a James Dean swagger and a troubled past. Despite the objections of her father due to the age difference and Kit's low social standing, Holly is entranced by his rebellious demeanor, and the two cultivate a whirlwind romance characterized by youthful naivety and idealized love.

Their passionate affair soon takes a dark turn. When Holly's father discovers the depth of their relationship and tries to intervene, Kit reacts with extreme violence. Now outlaws, the couple embarks on a crime spree across the Midwest. As they flee from the consequences of Kit's actions, their journey takes on a dreamlike quality, with the vast, open landscapes serving as a backdrop to their escapades. Evading law enforcement, they leave a trail of destruction in their wake, all the while documenting their exploits with a sense of detached amusement, as if they were the stars of their own personal story oblivious to the brutal reality of their situation.