In a world filled with hustlers and black marketers, Shlykov, a hard-working, anti-semitic taxi driver, is pushed over the edge when Lyosha, a Jewish saxophonist who personifies everything he despises, stiffs him for a fare. Shlykov tracks the irresponsible musician down and the two form a bizarre love-hate relationship. At first, class and race division make friendship for these two nearly impossible, until they both learn they aren't so different...