After pulling off a successful bank robbery in Sonora, Mexico, bandits Rio and his partner Dad Longworth narrowly escape capture. While laying low, the law catches up with them, and in a twist of betrayal, Dad abandons Rio to be captured so he can flee with their loot. Years later, Rio escapes from prison with vengeance on his mind. He tracks down Dad, who has reformed himself as a respectable sheriff in a Californian coastal town. Despite Dad's new life and family, Rio's thirst for retribution drives him to infiltrate the town under the guise of a drifter.

As Rio assimilates into the community, he cultivates relationships with the townsfolk, including Dad's stepdaughter Louisa. The tension between Rio and Dad escalates as hidden truths surface and unresolved grievances come to light. Rio's deep-seated desire for revenge is continually challenged by his evolving feelings for Louisa. As confrontations become inevitable, Rio must wrestle with his motivations and the moral complexities of vengeance versus forgiveness.