数亿美元的上市公司GTX在遭受金融危机后,高层决定实行裁员,拥有六位数薪水的老员工沃克(本·阿弗莱克 Ben Affleck 饰)竟然首当其冲,昂贵的房子和保时捷一一失去,不得不搬到父母家中住,为了养活妻子和两个孩子,沃克只好到接受一份亲戚提供的苦力活。公司得以安全度过危机,然而总裁的老朋友兼公司合伙人麦克拉里(汤米·李·琼斯 Tommy Lee Jones 饰)却发现,总裁一面声称资金问题而大肆裁员,一面却花钱新建公司总部,在提出异议后,总裁竟然连他也要辞退,转而聘用自己的情妇。看透了同伴的利欲熏心,带着对被裁员工的内疚,麦克拉里终于做了一个极富勇气的决定……When the GTX Corporation must cut jobs to improve the company's balance sheet during the 2010 recession, thousands of employees will take the hit, like Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck). Bobby learns the real life consequences of not having a job. Not only does he see a change to his family lifestyle, and the loss of his home, but also his feelings of self-worth.