From his window, a former homeless man named Sam watches life on the street. He hears the rants of Paul, another homeless man who claims that Sam has forgotten his friends, Paul and C.G., since he became sober. Sam follows Paul to the park, thinking that something terrible has happened to C.G. Instead, Paul, who has a broken arm and leg, asks Sam to drive him to the Salvation Army Harbor Lights mission. Reluctantly, Sam drives but accidentally turns down a one-way street and crashes the car. Frazzled, Sam rants to motorists on the street as he steps out of the car, but Paul calms him and they continue their journey on foot. Elsewhere, a police van pulls up in front of several homeless people, who scatter when they see the officers. Sam and Paul attend an impromptu church service, where a homeless man tells Sam that C.G. is very much alive. On the street, a homeless woman named Rose argues with passengers sitting on a bus. Rose then tells Sam she cannot talk. Sam and Paul guide Rose away from the conflict and continue their way. At Harbor Lights, Sam asks a homeless man named Moses if he has seen C.G. Instead, Moses talks about how he exists to be a “wino,” while Sam, who is now sober, has no identity. Moses suspects this is why Sam is looking for C.G. At night, C.G. growls as he chases the demons away from Rose’s favorite tree, and Rose screams to scare away anything that might harm C.G. Afterward, they share a victory dance, singing “Waltzing Matilda.” As they sway, they imagine their younger, healthier selves. Then, C.G. lies down and has a seizure. When the attack stops, Rose wipes the dirt and sweat from his face and torso. As Sam arrives, C.G. suffers another seizure Sam restrains his friend. When C.G. recovers, he and Sam go off in search of wine. C.G. cannot believe that Sam has gained control of his alcoholism. Sam buys a bottle of wine from a man with a shopping cart filled with wine bottles and offers it to C.G. Sam confesses that he may have gotten wine out of his system but not the life. He claims life on the outside is boring and scary. Sam tells C.G. that if the wine did not make him sick and the police went away, he would return to Skid Row. The men join a group of homeless friends, drinking wine in an open lot known as Rose’s park. There, Rose entertains the men with a song, and they applaud her effort. A few men also give short offbeat performances. Sam is asked by his friends to sing a song for old time’s sake. However, Sam cannot bring himself to perform, and instead lectures them about wasting their lives, and being at death’s doorstep. Exhausted, Sam falls sleep. In the morning, the police order C.G. and his friends to leave the open lot. When one officer produces a chain saw, C.G. wraps himself around Rose’s tree to prevent it from being cut down. However, officers subdue him and chop down the tree. The officers take C.G. and his friends to court, where they are charged with public drunkenness. As the judge runs through each case, he barely listens to the men’s answers. When C.G. is questioned, he demonstrates how Rose’s tree fell, and collapses on the ground. He is transported to the hospital, where a doctor points out classic signs of alcoholism to medical students, using the unconscious C.G. as an example. Sam tears up as he watches. Suddenly, C.G. leaps off the exam table and stumbles into Sam’s arms, asking Sam to return him to Rose’s park. However, C.G. dies and the medical students place him on a gurney. As an orderly covers C.G.’s body with pillows, telling Sam that the bodies of alcoholics burn faster than other people, and create a blue flame. He adds they also burn brighter than other corpses. Sam sits on the floor and watches the orderly wheel away C.G.’s body. Later, Sam rounds up four homeless friends to search the Los Angeles Crematory for C.G.’s ashes. They spread out to the office, the furnaces, and the storage area, looking for the remains. Sam looks through an office logbook and finds the record of C.G.’s remains, as Paul argues with a clerk about the correct paperwork. After much confusion, the men leave with several boxes of ashes, as they are chased off the premises. On Skid Row, the homeless men present Rose with a potted tree that can be moved wherever she goes. They fold C.G.’s ashes into the soil and pour wine in the dirt. Sam delivers a brief eulogy, and tells his friend to sleep well. In the middle of the street, Sam bursts into a rendition of “Waltzing Matilda,” and the homeless friends dance around Rose’s tree. As Sam and Paul leave, Sam admits it was the first time he ever sang sober, and he did not think it was possible.