A male escort in Washington DC becomes involved in a murder, in Schrader’s third film to explore the theme of the “lonely man”. He had already dealt with the subject in American Gigolo and Light Sleeper (1992). All three involve the intention of getting money from rich older women. And they all bear the signature mark: man in his private space, getting ready to come out in public, occupied with his appearance instead of his own reality. The film showcased the corruption pervading the American capital, where friendships exist only as long as they’re advantageous.