Vito (Dustin Hoffman) is the son of Jessie (Sean Connery), a professional criminal who has trained his son in the craft. With the birth of his own son, Adam (Matthew Broderick), Vito decides to reform his life. When he's in college, Adam's family's shady lifestyle seduces him, and with the help of his grandfather, he plans an elaborate burglary for the family to pull off together. When Adam is arrested during the heist, Jessie and Vito must make sacrifices in order to ensure the boy's future.