Knockin' on Heaven's Door follows two terminally ill patients, Martin Brest and Rudi Wurlitzer, who meet in a hospital. After learning they have little time left, they leave the hospital and decide to travel to the sea, which Rudi has never seen. They take a car that contains a large sum of money belonging to a criminal organization. During their journey, they spend the money on food, clothes. Their actions attract the attention of both the police and the criminals seeking to recover the money. The pair move across northern Germany, pursued but largely focused on reaching the coast. As the pursuit intensifies, the narrative alternates between their movement toward the sea and the efforts of others to intercept them.