Assigned to investigate a string of bank robberies conducted by the notorious masked group known as The Ex-Presidents, FBI agent Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) is transferred from the Midwest to Los Angeles, where sun and smog coexist with New Age music and 20th Century spirituality. Going undercover among the maverick fringe who surf off the Southern California coast, Johnny meets his match in Bodhi (Patrick Swayze), who shows the young agent a whole new way of looking at the world, and himself. In an escalating series of explosive encounters, Johnny will learn the truth of Bodhi's most important lesson: If you want the ultimate thrill, you must be prepared to pay the ultimate price.