Abandoned as a child by his mother because of his autism, Luke was raised by his grandparents who offered him a loving but sheltered upbringing. When his grandmother suddenly dies, Luke, now 25, and his senile grandpa Jonas are forced to move in with "the relatives": uncle Paul, aunt Cindy and cousins Brad and Megan. The adjustment is difficult for everybody and grandpa Jonas is soon moved to a nursing home, not before leaving Luke with his final coherent words: “Get a job. Find a girl. Live your own life. Be a man!” Although his dysfunctional relatives don't know what to do with him, Luke now has a mission.
Twelve-year-old Greta's dad Tom is moving the kids cross-country, promising a California paradise and packing half the household into a dented station wagon. Mom is supposed to join them later. But as they travel through forests, plains and deserts, stopping at fast food joints, shoddy motels, and a poor substitute for the Grand Canyon, Greta gradually realizes that her family is falling apart.
Donovan also stars in the film, portraying a once-successful playwright, Robert Longfellow, who is taken hostage by an [ex-con] neighbor while on a routine visit to his childhood home. Two-time Emmy-nominee David Morse plays Gus (the neighbor); a man Robert has avoided since he was a boy. The film also stars Olivia Williams; Katherine Helmond and Eileen Ryan play supporting roles. As the drama unfolds, social status, celebrity and the threat of violence converge, leaving the playwright simultaneously shattered and inspired.
The film follows a young woman, Wu Hongyan (Liu Dan), who works as a prison guard who aids in the execution of female prisoners. Lonely and widowed, Wu finds herself taking the night train to a dating service in a neighboring city.