In The Dying Western, Howard obsessively pursues his dreams to be the next John Wayne, but has only been successful at playing dying extras in western movies. Set in 1960's Hollywood, Howard's steadfast commitment to his work gets in the way of his relationships at home as he practices for his roles by faking his death on a near-nightly basis. These playful imitations grow competitive when his wife June is diagnosed with cancer and Howard becomes convinced that she is trying to "out-die" him.