Retired decorated security guard Walter Koontz lives in a downtown apartment complex, where he is in constant conflict with drag queen Rusty and his friends. He frequents a nightclub at which he is an expert tango dancer, and from which he conducts a superficial sexual relationship with dance partner Karen. At the same time, he rejects Tia, whom he considers a whore. One night, crime boss "Mr. Z" and two goons come to the building looking for the money that Amber's boyfriend stole from his organization. Having heard gunshots upstairs, Walt suffers a
stroke while ascending the stairs to help. He awakens with the right side of his body paralyzed, resulting in poor speech and posture, and giving him a limp that requires the use of a cane. Walter's self-confidence and general state of mind suffer, and he becomes ashamed to be seen in public, even skipping therapy, leading his doctor to visit him at home. His physical therapist, who had been sent to Walt's home by the doctor, recommends a singing teacher to improve his speech. When Walt hails a taxi outside of the building, he falls and drops the plan. Rusty desires to have
sex reassignment surgery, but he lacks the money. When Walter comes to Rusty to use his musical talents for singing lessons, the pair, while initially argumentative and uncomfortable with each other, slowly become friends. Walter begins to gain confidence, and he progresses toward resuming a normal life as his speech shows considerable improvement. Meanwhile, after having been told by Rusty that everyone pays in a relationship, including husbands and boyfriends, Walt phones Karen. After she claims to have rent problems, Walt lies that all his money went to therapy. After hearing this, she holds off on seeing him. Tia visits his apartment, and they dance and kiss. She leaves, however, when Walt states his belief that his former colleague and friend Tommy must have hired her. Walt tells Rusty that a former colleague of his and Tommy's abused his friendship by hitching a ride to the airport after having stolen a fortune from their employer. Rusty responds with his own confession: He had taken Mr. Z's money after the police had vacated the building to pay for surgery, meaning that the singing lessons had been a front. Feeling used again, Walt leaves in anger.
Building superintendent Leo, who had been threatened by Mr. Z, opens Rusty's medical bill, realizing that he has the money. Walt returns to the nightclub for the first time since his stroke and makes up with Tia. When he returns, Leo tells him to ignore any sounds that he might hear that night. The three criminals ambush Rusty in his apartment, and Walt goes upstairs again. Together, Rusty and Walt manage to kill them. Wounded, Walt is put in an ambulance, after which Rusty hands the paramedics the cash to pay for the best care available. They renew their friendship and singing lessons. ==Cast==