After being released from prison, a taciturn drifter simply referred to as the Rambler sets off on a surreal road trip across a bleak and twisted American landscape. He is eager for a fresh start, hoping to mend his fractured relationship with his estranged brother. Along the way, the Rambler encounters an array of bizarre and unsettling characters, including an eccentric scientist with a machine that can record human dreams onto VHS tapes. Through these strange interactions, glimpses of his dark past begin to surface, suggesting deeper psychological and emotional undercurrents driving his journey.

As he continues his quest, the realities and fantasies intertwine, blurring the lines between nightmare and reality. The Rambler's encounters grow increasingly eerie and disorienting, including a mysterious hitchhiker with her own set of cryptic motives and an unsettling series of motels, each more foreboding than the last. His exploration of these environments reveals eerie and surreal experiences that hint at larger existential questions. Amidst this atmospheric descent into madness, he remains focused on his enigmatic goal, unaware that every interaction draws him closer to confronting the ghosts of his past.