- Two childhood best friends, one a superficial womanizer and the other a barely functioning bipolar, embark on a road trip back to their hometown after one of them learns his estranged father has died.
- Ben Baker is a man-child who lives on his friend's couch getting high. His friend, Steve Dallas, is a moderately successful weather reporter who is living a superficial life. When Ben receives word that his father has died, Steve drives him home and they re-connect with Ben's successful and driven sister Terri and hippie step-mother Angela who is the same age as they are. The reading of the will drives Ben to come up with a new purpose in life, but those around him don't prove to be very supportive, and then they all re-examine their own lives.—Anne Campbell
- Steve is shown on a series of dates with beautiful women. He gives a speech about his feelings and intentions, but the same speech is given to all the women, and although it appears to be one long speech, the audience sees part of the speech in one setting, and part of the speech in another setting, and so on. In each location, he is told his credit card was declined. The last time he is with a woman, she is a prostitute. He has money, or says he does. And the last location is a nice apartment. Is it his?
Steve is shown going to a dilapidated trailer. His friend Ben, who he has known since the sixth grade, lets him in. Steve needs money, and somehow Ben is able to give it to him. Ben seems to have mental problems and it is apparent he uses pot or other drugs; he is later described as inheriting something that wasn't in the will. He is also a vegetarian and cares about the environment, and he is writing a book. Then Steve spends the night, and the video of Steve sleeping and Ben walking around the trailer is shown at a very high speed.
At last the audience learns what Steve does for a living. He arrives at work at WRDQ Channel 18 in Annapolis, says hello to people, and goes to the set of the newscast, where the beautiful but professional anchor Victoria and sportscaster Kyle are already there. The newscast begins, even though others believe Steve seems to be high or drunk. On the air, Steve is quite professional as he delivers the weather report. Dave, his boss, has a talk with him. He seems to have faith in Steve but does have concerns.
One day Ben shows up at the TV station behaving wildly and demanding to see his friend. Steve admits to knowing Ben and tries to calm him down. Ben's 77-year-old father has died.
Steve doesn't tell his co-workers exactly why, but he takes time off work to take Ben to the funeral in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They get behind an Amish horse and buggy and arrive late at the cemetery. Ben's sister Terry is less than enthusiastic when she sees her brother. And she clearly disapproves of the young and pretty widow Angela.
Steve stays as the family gets together for the reading of the will. Angela is left nothing, though the will states that her husband left her such things as the stars which he did not own. Terry gets cash and bonds in the amount of $350,000, and Ben gets everything else, including the family's grocery store and a large farm. The total value of what Ben receives is $2.5 million. Terry is very unhappy with this.
Ben, on the other hand, intends to use his inheritance for good. He will start what he calls the Omega Society, based partly on Plato and partly on Buddha, to teach people to care about the Earth. He allows Angela, who has a similar attitude, to stay on the farm for now. A group of people that might be described as hippies gets together on the farm and Ben begins teaching.
One day Ben sneaks out, takes off his clothes and disappears. Steve has to take off work once again. Ben is found at the Yoder house. Mr. Yoder drove into town to get help from the cops but is told he should have used the fire bell as that would have been faster. Ben is informed he is being inconsiderate of these very helpful people.
Terry seeks to have Ben declared incompetent so she can take care of the inheritance. She believes Ben will spend it recklessly. To do this requires Ben to see a psychiatrist. Ben tells Dr. Vincent details about himself that make him sound crazy, but Ben is convinced he is fine. He also won't take drugs because they will make him feel like a zombie and lose his creative abilities and his ability to experience life. Never mind that pot is a drug.
Dr. Vincent reports in court that Ben is bipolar with schizoid tendencies but is not a danger to himself or others, at least not now. The judge grants Ben his inheritance, to Terry's dismay.
Ben goes to a bar and buys drinks for everyone, then a jerk calls him a loser and Ben gets into a fight. The man he was fighting claims he was just ordering a beer, and Ben's friend Zed confirms the man's story. So now Ben must take the drugs.
Ben ends up a very different person, not able to experience life the way he did. Meanwhile, Steve seems to develop feelings for Angela.
Ben eventually decides he doesn't want all the responsibility. He decides Terry can have the store to do with what she wants, and Steve will get the farm. Meanwhile, Ben and Angela develop feelings for each other.
Steve persuades the man in charge at his apartment building to cut down the last remaining oak tree so he can have a better view, and says others in the building agree. Even though the building is called The Oaks.
Victoria gets married and there is an opening at the TV station for an anchor. Steve is considered. But who will do the weather? Delia is the meteorologist who has always told Steve everything he needed to say but doesn't have the looks to do the job on air. Still, this does not seem to be Steve's problem.
Steve returns to the farm, and he gets angry when he finds out Ben and Angela have feelings for each other. And if the farm is his, he wants Angela out. Ben moves into Steve's old place and starts trying to live a normal life.
Terry plans an "Amish Superstore" and there is a demolition permit for the old store. One day the townspeople gather to watch equipment begin tearing the building apart, and the people cheer.
Steve and Angela make up in the rain.
In a grocery store, Ben meets a woman with a son and becomes friendly with them. As it rains, they all decide to wait to go outside, and Ben helps the boy ride a mechanical horse. In the background is an Amish horse and buggy.
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