In The Rambler, a solitary man known only as "The Rambler" (Dermot Mulroney) sets off to Oregon to help his brother take care of his ranch. He meets strange characters along the way like The Scientist, an older man who claims he’s invented a way to capture dreams on VHS tapes, as well as The Girl who he continually comes across on his various stops. As The Rambler continues to ramble, he drifts between bizarre hallucinations and startling moments of violence.