Twenty-two years ago four friends went to the quarry on the edge of town with a case of beer and a loaded handgun. At the end of the day the beer was gone, the gun was empty and a stranger lay dead at the bottom of the quarry. Now, the four are together again, trying to deal with their actions in the face of guilt and a new police investigation.

In WWII Western Germany, Private David Manning reluctantly leaves behind a mortally wounded fellow soldier and searches for survivors from his platoon, only to learn from commanding officer Captain Pritchett that they have all been killed in action. Despite requesting a discharge on the grounds of mental disability, Manning is promoted to sergeant and assigned to lead a new platoon of young inductees.