Based on the real case about Robert Durst, the thriller tells the story of David Marks (Ryan Gosling), who is supposed to enter the tolerable business as the son of a wealthy family. His father Sanford (Fran Langella) owns a significant portion of New York's 42nd Street, whose houses were rented out to strip joints, porn stores and similar establishments at the time of the film's action. David wants nothing to do with this and throws caution to the wind from his father, who doesn't approve of David marrying the unknowing Katie (Kirsten Dunst). At first David doesn't care at all, but he eventually buckles under family pressure. The return to New York heralds an unhappy time for him and his wife as she is dissatisfied with life. When Katie disappears, David comes under suspicion of murder.