Andy Millman is a desperate man. He's been an actor for five years but he's never done any acting. Instead he's just a lowly film extra, walking around in the background while proper actors do their lines.

Andy's only friend in the world is Maggie, a fellow supporting artist and a hopeless romantic. Both are working on a gritty drama about atrocities in the Balkans directed by Hollywood star Ben Stiller. Andy is fed up with being pushed around in the mud for little reward and no lines so while Maggie pursues the man of her dreams, Andy decides he'll do whatever it takes to get himself a line.