In the film, memory implants have become a common technology and people can choose to have their entire lives recorded from birth to death. Alan Hakman (played by Robin Williams) is a cutter, a professional who edits and assembles these recorded memories into a final film-like product that can be screened at a person's memorial service. Hakman himself has an implant that constantly records his own experiences, and he is haunted by memories of his own troubled childhood.
Hakman's latest assignment is to edit the memories of a controversial public figure named Bannister (played by Jim Caviezel) who has recently died. However, as Hakman delves into Bannister's memories, he discovers a shocking secret that puts his own life in danger. Bannister's memories reveal that he was involved in a crime that was covered up by the powerful organization that controls the memory implant technology.
As Hakman attempts to uncover the truth and expose the cover-up, he becomes a target for the organization's agents, who are determined to stop him. Along the way, he teams up with a woman named Delila (played by Mira Sorvino) who also has a troubled past and becomes his ally in the dangerous journey.
The Final Cut explores themes of memory, identity, and the power of technology to manipulate personal history. It is a thought-provoking thriller that raises important ethical questions about the implications of memory implants and the control that technology can have over our own lives.