 Corky ( Gina Gershon ) , an ex @-@ con who has just finished a five @-@ year jail sentence , arrives at an apartment building to start work as a painter and plumber . On her way up to the apartment , she encounters the couple who live next @-@ door , Violet ( Jennifer Tilly ) and Caesar ( Joe Pantoliano ) . After Caesar has gone out , Violet flirts with Corky and asks her to help retrieve an earring that has fallen down her sink . After Corky extracts the earring , Violet admits she lost it on purpose in order to get closer to Corky , and starts to seduce her . They are interrupted by the arrival of Caesar and Corky goes back to work . When she leaves for the day , Violet follows her to her truck . They go to Corky 's apartment and have sex . The next morning , Violet tells Corky that Caesar is a money launderer for the Mafia and they have been together for five years . 
