Valerie Highsmith is the perpetually unlucky daughter of a wealthy businessman who mysteriously disappears during a vacation in Mexico. Despite sending detectives to find her, no signs of her whereabouts are uncovered. Fearing for her safety and recognizing her knack for constant misfortune, her father hatches an unconventional plan. He enlists Eugene Proctor, an equally luckless accountant, postulating that the alignment of their bad luck could lead him straight to Valerie. Accompanied by the seasoned private detective Raymond Campanella, who is skeptical of the entire idea, the duo embarks on a mission to track her down.

As they delve into their search, Proctor's hapless nature takes precedence with a series of comedic mishaps and accidents that unwittingly pave their way across Mexico. These outlandish events entangle them in unforeseen predicaments and bring about unforeseen clues to Valerie's trail. Proctor's accidental escapades lead to both trouble and unexpected breakthroughs, baffling Campanella who begrudgingly begins to consider that they might be onto something. The unlikely partnership faces numerous challenges, but Proctor’s blunders occasionally bear fruit, causing Campanella to reassess his initial disbelief in the plan. As the search unfolds, tension and comedy intertwine, setting the stage for a revealing chase toward finding the missing heiress against the backdrop of Mexico’s colorful landscape.