As business executive Charles “Charlie” Driggs leaves a New York City coffee shop, another customer, Audrey Hankel, confronts him on the street for not paying his check. Audrey refuses his money, but senses that he is a "closet rebel," offers him a ride back to his office, and tells him that her name is Lulu. She claims she knows a short cut, but when they drive into the Holland Tunnel, he realizes he is being kidnapped. As he protests, she offers him a drink from a bottle of Scotch whiskey. In New Jersey, Lulu stops at a liquor store to buy more Scotch, and steals money from the cash register. As Charlie gives his secretary instructions at a payphone, Lulu disconnects the call and kisses him. In the car, Charles explains that his acts of rebellion are of the mainstream variety such as investing in long-term, tax free, municipal bonds, and earning fifteen percent interest against the advice of colleagues. Lulu stops at a motel, and persuades him to use cash allocated for his Christmas club account to pay for their room. As she throws Charlie on the bed and undresses him, he claims to have never done anything so outlandish. Lulu handcuffs him to the headboard, then calls his office, and forces him to lie to his boss about his whereabouts. Charlie also calls his wife to say he has been called away on business. At an Italian restaurant, Lulu offers to cover the bill as she leaves to bring up the car, but at the register, the owner informs Charlie that Lulu expects him to pay. Lulu pulls up to the curb. The restaurant only accepts cash, but Charlie does not have enough to cover the bill. Charlie jumps into Lulu’s car to escape, and as they drive away, he lets his legs dangle out the side, and freely drinks Scotch. That night, they stop when Lulu crashes her car in a ditch next to a motel. In the morning, they see a tow truck ready to pry Lulu’s car from the ditch, and a motorcycle officer nearby. As Lulu walks past her car down the road, Charlie panics, and insists he has no interest in being arrested. Lulu tells him things will work out, and suggests they buy another car. When Lulu pays $600 in cash for a used car, Charlie wants to know where she got the money. She is evasive, and distracts him by picking up some hitchhikers. When they stop in a small town, the hitchhikers get out. Lulu outfits Charlie at a vintage clothing store with a blue suit, a bright yellow tie, and white buckskin shoes to replace his gray Wall Street attire. For herself, she purchases a white sundress printed with red and green flowers. Their next stop is a modest house in the suburbs of Pennsylvania. Lulu removes Charlie’s handcuffs and tells him to call her “Audrey.” When Audrey’s mother “Peaches” answers the door, her daughter introduces Charlie as her husband. Audrey and Charlie lie about their courtship, and future plans as a couple. Later, Charlie finds some newspaper articles describing crimes committed by Audrey’s former husband, Ray Sinclair, as he looks through Audrey’s high school yearbook. While doing dishes after dinner, Peaches guesses that Charlie’s “marriage” is a temporary thing, and he probably has a real family elsewhere. She warns him that her daughter has funny notions about life. Audrey appears elegantly made up, and her bobbed dark brunette wig has been removed to show her natural blonde hair. Charlie is intrigued by her transformation, and Audrey announces that they are going to her ten-year high school reunion. At the reception desk, Charlie is a good sport and pretends to be Audrey’s husband. She answers questions about her married life, but Charlie supplies the names of his children when asked about their offspring. Suddenly, an accountant from Charlie’s office named Larry Dillman and his wife, Peggy, say hello. As Charlie awkwardly makes conversation, Audrey volunteers that they are lovers, and have a child. Audrey also explains that Charlie had to pay for a motel room on the company credit card. As Larry offers to handle similar transactions for Charlie in the future, Peggy Dillman suggests they leave. Charlie complains that when Larry gossips at the office, his career will be ruined. Audrey observes that Larry admires Charlie’s status as a vice president, and will keep his secret. Charlie panics when he realizes that his wallet, with his company credit cards and access codes, is gone. Audrey tells him she found it when it fell out of his pocket, and put it in the glove compartment for safekeeping. Charlie would like to return to his boring, safe life, but Audrey convinces him to wait until morning. They dance and kiss. However, when Audrey’s criminal ex-husband, Ray Sinclair, greets them, Audrey hustles Charlie off the dance floor without a word. Audrey wants to leave, but her car will not start. Ray and his girl friend, Irene, persuade the couple to join them for a drink. On the road, Ray hands Charlie an open liquor bottle. They stop at a gas station, where Audrey and Irene buy beer. Audrey wants to know how long Ray has been out of prison, but Irene claims he just showed up. In the car, Ray pumps Charlie for personal information, but Charlie is offended when Ray wants to know details about their love life. Ray apologizes, and soon corners Audrey in the convenience store. He wants to rekindle their relationship, but Audrey is not interested. To retaliate, Ray leaves Irene stranded, and stops at another convenience store for cigarettes. He persuades an inebriated Charlie to join him. Ray shoots and destroys the security camera before knocking out the clerk with the butt of his gun and taking money from the cash register. As they drive away, Audrey wipes Charlie’s bleeding, broken nose. Ray boasts about his past exploits as a thief, and takes them to a seedy motel, where he demands that Audrey explain her relationship with Charlie. She responds that she picked up Charlie to impress her mother, and go to the reunion, claiming it was just a joke that got out of hand. Ray does not believe her, and thinks Charlie left his wife to be with Audrey based on something Larry Dillman said in passing. As Charlie sobers up, he confesses he left his wife back in September, and Audrey is disappointed that Charlie is not as put-together as he seems. Ray tosses Charlie the keys to Audrey’s car. On foot, Charlie returns to the car parked outside the reunion hall, and escapes. The next day, Charlie stops for gas, and a change of clothing. At another gas station across the street, Charlie sees Ray and Audrey. He follows their car to a roadside motel in Virginia, buys a pair of binoculars from the motel gift shop, and spies on the couple. Although Audrey tries to escape, Ray captures her, and throws her in the pool. Charlie sleeps through the whole episode. After dark, Charlie observes as Ray and Audrey eat in the motel diner. When a few police officers stop to eat, Charlie makes his move, and joins Ray and Audrey in their booth. He declares that he wants Lulu, but Ray, who is not aware of the officers sitting nearby, adds that rescuing her will not be easy. Charlie makes Ray laugh when he claims he is going to walk out with Lulu and there is nothing Ray can do. Charlie then points to the officers, and observes that Ray is a convicted felon, driving a stolen car, and has probably violated his parole by leaving New Jersey. He demands Ray hand over his car keys. As Ray complies, he insists that Charlie will regret his actions. Charlie demands Ray’s wallet, offers to pay the check, then leaves him to pay the bill. As Charlie and Lulu escape, the gift shop clerk Ray flirted with earlier rescues him. He promises to return to her, and steals a car to track down Lulu and Charlie. They drive through the night to New York City, but decide to hide at Charlie’s home in Stony Brook, Long Island. Meanwhile, Ray uses the reunion booklet to find and break into Lulu’s apartment. With the help of an operator, he locates Charlie’s Stony Brook address, and attacks Charlie. Ray handcuffs Charlie to the pipes underneath the bathroom sink. However, Charlie breaks free, and attempts to strangle Ray with the handcuffs before he can harm Lulu. When Ray pulls a knife, Lulu hits him with a golf club, knocking him into the bathtub. Charlie seizes the opportunity to grab the knife. As Ray regains his footing, he spins around and walks straight into the blade. Ray pulls the dagger from his stomach and dies. Police take a report and drive Lulu to the station for additional questioning. A few days later, Charlie quits his job, and discovers that Lulu has moved out of her apartment without a trace. Charlie returns to the coffee shop where they first met. He leaves cash at the table, but the waitress follows him onto the street, claiming he has not paid. As they argue, Lulu appears with his money, wearing a chic but conservative black and white outfit. When she offers him a ride, he overpays the waitress, and they drive away in Lulu’s vintage station wagon.