Steven Schoichet (Brody) is in a rut: he lives at home with his crazed parents and weird sister, Heidi (Illeana Douglas), and is stuck in a dead-end job until he decides to follow his bliss of the urging of his outrageous friend, Fangora (Milla Jovovich). Buying a ventriloquist dummy, he hits the small- time comedy circuit to the horror of his family and the delight of his beautiful job counselor, Lorena (Vera Farmiga), who becomes his biggest fan...and then, his first love, in this hysterical romantic comedy, proving the dumbest thing you can do is not to follow your dream.