Harry Barber (Woody Harrelson), a newspaper reporter, has spent the last two years in prision for a crime he did not commit. He would not take a bride from the corrupt city council and was set up. Upon his release Barber vows never to return to Palmetto. Despite his intentions he returns to his former home with his artist girlfriend Nina (Gina Gershon). On one of his daily trips to the bar, eventhough he does not drink, a curvaceous blonde attracts Barber's interests. It turns out that she has a business proposal for him. The woman, Rhea Malroux (Elisabeth Shue), wants Barber to help her in the phony kidnapping of her step-daughter Odette (Chloe Sevigny). The ladies plan to ask for $500,000 from Felix Malroux (Rolf Hoppe) for the return of his daughter Odette. For his part as the voice on the phone and picking up the money, Barber gets 10%. They procede with the plans but soon the whole thing turns into a giant mess. Barber starts to try and cover his tracks but is worried he will be found out and end up back in prison. Despite his best efforts Barber left a lot of loose ends, like Donnelly (Michael Rapaport) Mr. Malroux's bodyguard who saw Barber and Rhea talking before the kidnapping.
Palmetto was well writen and did provide some interesting plot twists. The biggest problem was the lack of a good ending, there was no feeling of anxiety or impending doom. There was no payoff after the buildup. Another problem was the casting, Shue and Gershon should have switched roles. Shue seemed to working to hard at playing the salutary seductress and was not real effective. Gershon was wasted as the nice girlfriend who was not tuned in to what was going on. Harrelson did well as the oft-clumsy Barber. Palmetto is just one more to add to the pile of mediocre films.