William Monahan

A brilliant suicidal artist, Thomas, attempts to escape his privileged existence by heading out to the desert, only to encounter homicidal, chameleon-like drifter Jack. Their first encounter at a campfire sets up a nonstop, violent duel of physical and intellectual equals, a chase that moves from the spectacular vistas of the American desert to a noir Los Angeles, where Thomas's notoriety as an artist is revealed.

Both an English professor and a high-stakes gambler, Jim Bennett bets it all when he borrows from a gangster and offers his own life as collateral. Always one step ahead, Bennett pits his creditor against the operator of a gambling ring and leaves his dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother in his wake. He plays both sides, immersing himself in an illicit, underground world while garnering the attention of Frank, a loan shark with an interest...

Balian, a young Frenchman in Medieval Jerusalem during the Crusades, having lost everything, finds redemption in a heroic fight against overwhelming forces to save his people and fulfill his destiny as a knight.