A two-bit scammer runs out of luck until he joins a carnival and seizes the opportunity for a big-time scam involving his carny boss and the boss's beautiful snake-dancer wife.
The non-linear opening is indicative of a movie which favors form over substance. But there is substance to back it up. The plot is twisted in more ways than one, the milieu is immersed in the old-school low-life carny world of cons and freaks and the three main characters create a clever and dynamic triangle.
You care about what happens to these characters, even when you don't know what that will be. Although ultimately a little too clever for its own good, this is a thrill-ride worth taking.