Parker (Stark novels character) (Jason Statham) is a professional thief, specializing in big robberies, who follows a unique code—he doesn't steal from the poor or hurt innocent people. His mentor Hurley (Nick Nolte) asks him to take charge of a job with a crew he doesn't know, consisting of Melander (Michael Chiklis), Carlson (Wendell Pierce), Ross (Clifton Collins Jr.), and Hardwicke (Micah Hauptman). The job, taking the gate money from the Ohio State Fair, is successful, but Hardwicke ignored instructions after being denied access to the correct spot, resulting in him needlessly killing a woman in a fire that was set as a distraction.