Mesrine, a dedicated soldier, returns home to his parents after serving in the Algerian War, but he is soon seduced by the neon glamour of sixties Paris and the easy money it presents. Mentored by Guido (Gerald Depardieu), Mesrine turns his back on middle class law-abiding and soon moves swiftly up the criminal ladder. After pulling off an audacious heist he and his lover Jeanne  flee to Canada where the opportunity of one big payout lures him out of hiding and propels his towards international notoriety.