Cannery Row, an insalubrious area in the Californian city of Monterey which used to be home to canning factories, is the backdrop for this eccentric romantic comedy. In the 1940s, marine biologist Doc (Nick Nolte), a stand-up citizen looking for meaning in his life, meets Suzy (Debra Winger), a prostitute whose abrasive character gets in the way of her daily work. Despite feeling attracted to each other, the personality clash makes them an incompatible couple. Soon enough, though, the marginalised inhabitants of the area spring into action and, in their own way, bring the two lovers together.