A celebrated analyst (Richard Dreyfuss) inherits Bob, an obsessive, phobic patient (Bill Murray) from a colleague. The doctor finds himself unable to escape Bob's constant presence and becomes even more irritated when his family is charmed by the loveable lunatic.

Warren Beatty's adaptation of the detective comic strip displays a big-screen comic book look of its own. In a 1930s American city, Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino) takes a stranglehold on all underworld activities, disposing of his main rival Lips Manlis (Paul Sorvino) and nabbing his girlfriend Breathless Mahoney (Madonna). Dick Tracy (Beatty) is entrusted with the task of cleaning up the city, but problems on the home front, with the adoption of a young orphan, and the seductive come-ons of Breathless threaten to ruffle his composure.