Twins separated at birth due to their father's gambling debt. Michael, whose personality is much like his mother's, has been raised by a Mafia boss who pressures him to learn and eventually take over the family business. Michael spends his life seeing corruption and never feels at ease with his father's dealings and expectations of him.
Jim, the other twin, is raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. His parents were very loving; however, his childhood was difficult since his mother was never the same after the twin was stolen and never found. His mother suffered from depression and nervous anxiety, which caused her to be very hard to live with. Her moods and anxiety drove Jim's father, for some happiness and comfort --before-- back into the arms of his old girlfriend)
Years later, the twins find themselves in a life-and-death situation. The Mafia twin, Michael, double-crosses another Mafia boss (D'Alesio) and is going to be killed. In order for Michael to maintain his stronghold and protect his family, he needs Jim to get out of danger and save his own life, or else Michael will have Jim killed. Neither of them know they are twin brothers, and Jim has no choice but to do as he is told or risk being killed.