Master thief Max Burdett (Pierce Brosnan) and his beautiful accomplice, Lola Cirillo (Salma Hayek), steal the second of three famous diamonds, known as the Napoleon diamonds, from FBI Agent Stanley P. Lloyd (Woody Harrelson). But Lloyd shoots Max before passing out from being gassed by the thieves. Max survives and tells Lola to get the diamond. She does, leaving in its place the one-dollar bill that she had received as a tip for washing the agents' windshield (while in disguise). Max and Lola then fly to Paradise Island in The Bahamas.
Agent Lloyd shows up 6 months later and accuses Burdett of planning to steal the third Napoleon diamond, which is on a cruise ship that will be docking for a week on the island. He denies this, and unwittingly turns the tables and befriends the frustrated detective Lloyd, showing him the pleasures that Paradise Island has to offer, even paying for the most expensive suite, the bridge suite, for as long as Lloyd is there. Lloyd, out of his element, adapts quickly to the easy-going Caribbean lifestyle and partners up with Sophia, a local constable, to try and capture Max at last when he steals the diamond, which Max visits and later gives in to the temptation to steal. Henri MoorÃ©, a powerful, popular tycoon thought of by some as a gangster, learns of Burdett's impressive history as a thief and offers him additional island-life benefits and pleasures in return for stealing the diamond.
Burdett, still wanting the diamond for himself, pretends to work with MoorÃ©, and gives him a fake plan as to how he would steal the diamond (which he had earlier related to Stan), having no trouble keeping ahead of his nemesis in the meantime. Lola kicks Max out after he breaks his promise to spend their first sunset on her new deck she had been working on and after she finds out he lied about writing his vows to her. Max is forced to bunk with Stan, and they share their thoughts about each other's lives. The next morning, the authorities and Sophie discover them, revealing that Stan's FBI license is suspended. They team up to win back Sophia and Lola, but Max still gives in and uses the dive trip as a distraction to steal the diamond, which works perfectly when MoorÃ©'s man tries at the same time is a caught after the fake plan doesn't work. After the fallout, Lola leaves Max after Lloyd shoots MoorÃ© dead when he comes for the diamond. He realizes his error, writes his vows, and manages to win back Lola at the airport before she leaves, proposing to her with "the first diamond he ever bought".
The next day, Max is met by Stan while celebrating, who reveals he set him up and let Max do all the work while he later recovered the diamond. Max concedes that his nemesis has won this time, and is simply happy to live out his life with Lola, watching sunsets. However, he has fun with Stan when he tries to leave by remote controlling his car again, promising Lola it is the last time.
What does Burdett want to steal?
third Napoleon diamond