Carter Webb has the ability to listen well and to dish out sound advice. This endears him to a mother and daughter he meets when he moves north to Michigan from Los Angeles to live for a time with his grandmother, following a break-up from his girlfriend Sofia (Elena Anaya).
This story includes some real-life situations such as Sarah Hardwicke (Meg Ryan) battling breast cancer, and the awkward desire of her daughter to let a young man know she likes him. However, despite these dramatic moments, the film is also tainted with strong language and a brief encounter between a married woman and a single man, as well as a party made up of under-age teens.