Lyle Wilder (Charlie Sheen) is a decorated Los Angeles firefighter who saved an Afro-American baby's life in a crack house fire.

However, Lyle Wilder is a psychopath, who had his wife, Marge and son, Kenny (Rory Flynn) leave him because of his violent tendencies.

He believes that the neighbors (Mare Winningham and David Andrews) and their two children (Noah Fleiss and Chelsea Russo) are to blame for them leaving by manipulating his wife.

In flashbacks, it shows his violent tendencies, like playing Russian roulette with his wife and he being angry on his son's birthday (stemming from his own strict disciplinary upbringing).

A slanging match ensues a fight, which ends with Ron's death; his mouth is superglued shut to silence his screams.

Tierra discovers the repairman's body while Lyle attacks and murders Calavito, by slamming a fireman's axe into his torso.

The film ends with the Bravertons spending some time as a family, trying not to notice a billboard displaying Lyle representing the Los Angeles Fire Department.