New Year's Eve, 1981, the Lower East Side. Monica's (Martha Plimpton) having a party, but as late as 9, no one's there. She stews (and drinks). Folks are on their way, all looking for love, sex, or both. En route, paths cross, gambits misfire: a performance artist, her boyfriend until today and his long-time pal Lucy (Courtney Love), two Long Island high-school girls, two punk rockers, a bartender, a Scottish painter who's lousy in bed, a pretty face named Jack (Jay Mohr) who runs when women say they love him, his cute but clumsy date Cindy (Kate Hudson), two trendy vamps, a loquacious cabby, the man-crazed Hillary, and Elvis Costello. Nearly everybody smokes, and nearly everybody scores. And all get who and what they deserve.

Ace Bar, 531 East 5th Street (btw Avenues A and B) Manhattan.

Cindy's Apartment, 365 West End Avenue and West 77th Street, Manhattan.

Avenue B and East 9th Street, Manhattan.

Avenue A (btw East 7th Street and St Mark's Place) Manhattan.

East 6th Street (btw 1st and 2nd Avenues) Manhattan.