After being dumped at the alter a year ago, by the love of his life, Gene Maxwell has been living under a rock, drifting from one meaningless day job to the next while toiling away on a voluminous novel he hopes will win back the heart of his former fiance, B movie actress, Liz Woodward.
Liz unexpectedly turns up on his doorstep with an audacious request - will he help move her elderly father while she flies off to Prague to star in a low budget sci-fi flick. Gene ignores the protests of his eccentric family and secretly seizes the opportunity to recapture Liz's illusive love by agreeing to move Malcolm - a distinctly articulate and cantankerous Englishman with relationship issues of his own. As Gene and Malcolm make the big move a warm and enlightened relationship develops between the two. Gene's plan to win back Liz also seems to be working, albeit long distance. Things take a painful turn, however, as Liz once again breaks Gene's hopeful heart. But this time through Malcolm's inadvertent example, Gene is able to regain his self-respect and re-open his heart to those who know and love him best.