Max Fish is a failed, reclusive film director who has moved to the small New Jersey
seaside town of
Belmar from
New York City with his wife and son, Ed. When his wife dies, he is left to raise his son on his own. Max opens up a bookstore and becomes involved in
marathon running. He also participates in a local theater production of a
Don Quixote play. However, he is struggling in his parental role, as Ed is becoming increasingly involved in
drug usage,
sex, and
gang violence. Max also battles his own alcohol addiction as well as guilt over his wife's death. The chasm between father and son seems to be growing despite Max's best efforts. During Max's morning jogs, he routinely passes by a psychic. The psychic tells him that one night a serial killer will attack Ed on the beach. Ed continues to ignore the advice of his father and seems increasingly beyond hope of redemption in the eyes of society, but when he prevents the murder of a rival gang member, he shows potential for betterment. A serial killer, dubbed the "Shore Killer", does indeed descend on the town as the psychic predicted, but Max ends up saving his son before the killer can strike. ==Cast==