San Francisco cop Jack Cates is a hard-edged, solitary detective who takes on a gruesome case when his partner is killed by a notorious criminal named Albert Ganz, recently escaped from prison. On the trail of Ganz, Cates realizes he has little to go on and his leads are running cold. In a desperate move, he turns to an unlikely source for help: Reggie Hammond, a fast-talking, street-smart convict with just 48 hours to be paroled for the weekend. Cates secures Hammond's temporary release from prison, hoping his connections will lead to Ganz.

Bound by the ticking clock, the mismatched pair navigates the gritty underbelly of the city to track down Ganz and his accomplice. The quest for justice is rife with tensions as Jack's brusque and forceful methods clash with Reggie's slick and cavalier attitude. In the seedy world of bars, hotels, and back streets, each clue brings them closer to their quarry but also puts them in increasing danger. With time running out, both men must learn to work together despite their differences if they're to catch the killers before the 48 hours are up.