At Fort Polk, Louisiana, in September of 1971, Private Bozz (Colin Farrell) joins an infantry company after spending time in corrective custody, set for eight weeks of training to be concluded with a final test at Tigerland, a U.S. training ground that serves as the last stop before Vietnam. Bozz has no desire to go to war and acts like it. Even though his weekend leave is withdrawn he still goes to town and ends up going to a hotel room with two girls and fellow soldier Paxton (Matthew Davis). Bozz and Paxton make friends despite their different outlooks; Paxton has enlisted for service and wants to go to Nam for the experience.