FRANCIS “POPE” SILVA (Robert De Niro) is a retiring mafia boss, in the process of handing over the reigns of his illegitimate casino business to his protégé, DERRICK “DOG” PRINCE. As Pope executes a couple of low life thieves who have stolen from his casino, he imparts a lesson: all men value self-preservation above all else and that loyalty is key. Following the grisly scene, Pope steps onto his riverboat casino to attend his lavish farewell party. Despite his ruthless criminal activity, in public he is charming and popular.

Longtime casino employee LUKE VAUGHN (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is broke and desperate; he works backbreaking double shifts, and has even sold his car pawned off his old military medals. The reason: Vaughn’s daughter is very sick and he’s way behind on medical bills. If he doesn’t get cashsoon, she won’t receive the lifesaving treatment she needs. Vaughn asks Pope for help, but if there’s one thing Pope has learned it’s not to grant charity. When Vaughn presses for a better answer, Prince has him fired from the casino once and for all.

Using inside knowledge and after hours access, Vaughn and another employee named COX (Dave Bautista) plan an audacious heist – both understanding that if they are caught it means sure death. They will be hunted down, so it’s all or nothing.

The day of the robbery Vaughn learns that Cox has allowed an amateur named JULIAN DANTE to muscle his way into the job. On the riverboat, an employee recognizes Vaughn and trigger happy Cox shoots down the first guard. All hell breaks loose and the plan goes to awry. They grab the cash but are caught in a gunfight by Dog and his men. Dante takes a bullet. A foot chase takes them towards a road where BUS 657 happens to be passing by. Vaughn and his partners quickly board, taking the bus hostage as they race away from the scene.

DETECTIVE DEAN MARCONI takes charge of the case and negotiates a hostage release. Vaughn exchanges a passenger, PAULINE, for fuel and supplies. A female cop, KRIS, connects Vaughn to the casino and questions Pope about the hijacking. She learns about Vaughn’s situation and develops an odd trust in him. But Cox is a wildcard, a sociopath with no regard for human life. Pope orders his men to kill the hijackers and get hismoney back by any means, knowing that if discovered by the police- the dirty cash will lead back to the casino and his world will come crashing down. Desperate to keep that from happening, Pope reconnects with his estranged daughter, SYDNEY (Kate Bosworth), but is unable to convince her to sign papers that would give her controlling interest in the casino.

The story climaxes in the desert, a huge confrontation between Pope, Vaughn and Dog where the truth is finally revealed and Pope must make an incredible, life-changing choice.

Bus 657 is Dog Day Afternoon on Speed, with the twists and turns of such heist classics as Ocean’s Eleven and Inside Man.