Brother Edgar (Bob Hoskins) is a generous entrepreneur of low-quality socks who hides behind a self-bestowed cassock to avoid the low-level corruption of local sheriff (Randy Travis). He has adopted Morales Pittman (Antonio Banderas), who has bigger, more illegitimate dreams than Edgar. The two travel about Arkansas, selling their socks and bumping into a variety of simple souls, including the eponymous mythic killer (Wes Bentley), who has engaged himself to Apple Lisa Weed (Kim Dickens) and disavowed his life as a murderer. Morales Pittman joins forces with Miss Apple Lisa's dim-witted brother, Reggie (Chad Lindberg), to extort money from the local bumpkins, to the annoyance of the reigning provider of "protection," Mr. Pines (Michael Massee). Things come to a head as Edgar finds himself falling for the blind Eva Nell (Ellen Barkin), who manages the best tea-house in Arkansas and Morales becomes more jealous of the place the Kid has taken in Edgar's heart.