Elle, a sharp-tongued, aging poet, finds her life upended when her teenage granddaughter, Sage, unexpectedly shows up at her door in need of immediate help. Sage is pregnant and requires $600 for an abortion, but she has neither the funds nor the nerve to face her mother, Judy. The two set off on an impromptu journey around Los Angeles in Elle’s decrepit 1955 Dodge Royal to scrounge up the necessary money before Sage’s appointment later that day. With Elle’s financial situation as dire as Sage’s, they visit old friends, ex-lovers, and anyone else who might be swayed to lend them some cash.

Throughout their daylong odyssey, Elle and Sage’s relationship deepens as they confront painful memories from the past and tackle their own individual struggles. Each encounter reveals more about Elle’s grief over her recently deceased partner, her estranged relationship with her daughter Judy, and her unresolved guilt. Their quest exposes the generational divides and the complexities that bind them. As they race against time, both women must navigate their own frailties and secrets, leading to moments of dark humor, heartfelt poignancy, and ultimately, an exploration of family dynamics and personal redemption.