Kevin Lenahan is a small time con man who finds himself on the wrong side of the law when a con he is involved with goes wrong. In a bid to escape a long jail term, Kevin embarks on a long con that he is actually insane and should be sent to an institution instead of jail. After escaping from his captors, Kevin poses as a new surgeon at the hospital he has been sent to, a major storm leaves the hospital with no power and Kevin in charge in this well received Richard Pryor comedy.