Purslane Will (Johansson), a girl in her late teens, returns to her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana after the death of her mother. Expecting to find her mother's house empty, she is surprised to encounter two men who were still living there, Bobby Long (Travolta), a retired English professor, and his protege, Lawson Pines (Macht), spending the days drinking and reading books. They are forced to live together, and as time goes by, they realize how connected their lives really are.