Everything you were afraid to ask about "Southland Tales"

At a beachside restaurant, Krysta Now meets Cyndi Pinziki (Nora Dunn), a porn producer with ties to the Neo-Marxist movement, to discuss Krysta's marketing plan. In addition to her reality show, Krysta has launched an energy drink and recorded a hit single called "Teen Horniness Is Not a Crime." When Krysta mentions that she is sleeping with Boxer Santaros, Cyndi decides to use this information to blackmail Boxer's father-in-law: Republican candidate Bobby Frost.

Back at USIDent headquarters, we learn that Boxer was kidnapped at a charity scavenger hunt several days earlier, and a charred body, presumed to be his, has been found in the desert near Lake Mead.

Zora Carmichaels (Cheri Oteri), a member of the Neo-Marxist movement, buys blank bullets from Walter Mung (Christopher Lambert) in an ice cream truck filled with weapons. At their Venice Beach headquarters, we meet the rest of the Neo-Marxists, including Veronica "Dream" Mung (Amy Poehler) and Dion Element (Wood Harris). Elsewhere in the building, Ronald Taverner (Seann William Scott) is in the bathroom, looking at his reflection. As he waves at himself in the mirror, he notices that his reflection's movements don't match his own.

Roland Taverner, his (alleged) twin -- a racist cop -- is sitting unconscious in the main room, having been kidnapped and drugged by the Neo-Marxists. As part of his participation in the Neo-Marxists' plot, Ronald must pretend to be his brother Roland and accompany Boxer during his movie research. With the help of Dion and Dream, Roland will then help stage a double murder that, caught on tape, will incriminate Boxer and destroy the Republican campaign.

When Ronald arrives at the home of Fortunio Balducci (Will Sasso), a movie producer, to meet Boxer and Krysta, Boxer explains that he and Krysta have written a screenplay called "The Power," about a "paranoid schizophrenic cop" named Jericho Cane.

Ronald agrees to take Boxer for a ride-along so he can research his role. As they drive, Boxer continues to talk about his screenplay, explaining a subplot involving a miracle baby that doesn't produce bowel movements. Taverner reveals that he hasn't produced a bowel movement in six days.

Unfortunately for the Neo-Marxists, their operative in USIDent, Kenny Chan, has been compromised. His colleague, Starla Von Luft (Michelle Durrett), has planted a bug on his jacket and is leading the police forces to their hideout. Meanwhile, using a sex tape given to her by Krysta Now, Cyndi Pinziki is blackmailing Frost for money and demanding the passage of Proposition 69 (a bill that restricts USIDent's powers). The police break into Neo-Marxist headquarters and kill Kenny Chan. Roland manages to escape, climb onto the roof, and fall into a dumpster.

Boxer and Ronald have stopped for some lunch. During their discussion, they learn that Ronald has been dreaming of Boxer. While Ronald is briefly distracted, Boxer is beckoned over by Serpentine, who has been hovering nearby. He follows her to the back of a bookstore, where the rest of the baron's entourage is waiting. They claim to have read his screenplay. According to Serpentine, "The future is just as [he] imagined."

The second section of the film ("V: Memory Gospel") begins.

Starla Von Luft, the double-crossing USIDent employee, is reading a copy of "The Power" at work. Starla is in love with Boxer and, in a fit of delusion, has assumed the role of Dr. Muriel Fox, a character from the screenplay.

Back in Venice Beach, Boxer and Roland pull up in front of a house while Dion and Dream pretend to fight inside. According to their plan, Boxer is to videotape their faked murder. But, unexpectedly, police officer Bart Buchman (Jon Lovitz) pulls up and shoots both of them for real. Boxer and Roland run out in a panic.

Boxer receives a phone call from Starla Von Luft -- who is still under the impression that she is Dr. Muriel Fox -- and tells him to call Vaughn Smallhouse, one of Frost's assistants. Vaughn sends a car to pick up Boxer and bring him back to the Frost mansion.

Ronald Taverner, meanwhile, has picked up Zora and Bing Zinneman, a new member of the Neo-Marxists. Bing is freaked out by the murders, and decides that he no longer wants to be part of the group. Zora abruptly pushes Ronald from the car, and runs over Bing.

Back in the dumpster, Roland Taverner wakes up as his hands begins to glow. He climbs out and walks up to the nearby ice cream truck. Walter Mung recognizes him and quickly sedates him with an injection of fluid karma.

Boxer walks up to the Frost mansion, where his wife, Madeline Frost (Mandy Moore), and the Frost team are waiting for him. Although he recognizes Madeline as his wife, she remains unimpressed and demands to know why he disappeared.

Zora Carmichaels and Bart Buchman return to the Neo-Marxist headquarters, where we learn that the two are lovers and have planned the murder of Dion and Dream. Krysta is brought to the Frost mansion, where she is confronted by Madeline. The Baron admits that he has been paying Krysta to deceive Boxer, but also mentions that Madeline is pregnant with the child of Brandt Huntington (Joe Campana), one of her father's assistants.

Once Krysta departs, Boxer receives a phone call from Starla instructing him to go to the Santa Monica pier. Boxer gets into a convertible and drives off. The Baron phones Simon Theory (Kevin Smith), an old bearded man, and instructs him to "remove the body from Utopia Three."

Next page: "It all ends tonight"