In suburban New Jersey, fifteen-year-old Jake Livingston lives with his eleven-year-old brother, Brian, and their divorced mother, Wendy. Jake rides bicycles with his friends, studies with his girl friend, Lisa, and plays lacrosse, while Brian plays video games and watches the music video television channel, MTV. One day, the boys’ father, Alan, visits from out of town, but the presence of Alan’s girl friend, Joanne, causes Wendy to claim she has other plans. At dinner, Alan informs his sons that he and Joanne are getting married. The following day, Jake and Lisa drink wine that she stole from her parents. One morning, in their kitchen, Jake and Brian meet Sam, their mother’s new love interest. A few weeks later, Jake overhears Wendy’s friend, Pat, warn her that Sam is her rebound relationship from Alan. Later, when Jake asks what type of work Sam does, he claims to be raising capital to start his own security systems company. Soon, Sam convinces Wendy to buy Jake a motorcycle, and finds other ways to ingratiate himself to the boys. Later, however, Jake expresses doubts about Sam to Lisa. When Wendy informs the boys that Sam is moving in, Jake cautions her that she does not know him well enough. At school, Jake takes his anger out on his lacrosse teammates and clashes with his teacher, Mr. Rader, while Brian gets into several fights. Jake questions Sam’s motives when he proposes to open a restaurant with Wendy, and finance it by buying a house, fixing it up, and selling it for a large profit. One day, Jake and Brian find a note informing them that Wendy and Sam have unexpectedly gone to Lake George, New York, for the weekend. Jake searches the house and finds drug paraphernalia and a large quantity of narcotics. Later, Jake returns home from school to find an associate of Sam’s in the house. When Jake mentions the incident to Sam, it provokes the couple to argue about Wendy’s parenting skills. In time, Jake accuses Wendy of being blind to Sam’s shortcomings, and when Sam and Wendy throw a party, Jake observes Sam snorting cocaine. The following morning, the boys discover their mother and Sam disheveled and passed out in the living room. At school, Jake is rude to Lisa and quarrels with his friends. Jake returns home to find Wendy upset and overwhelmed because Brian beat up a classmate. Jake offers to meet the principal, Mrs. Mercer, and smooth things over. He informs her that Wendy is ill and promises Brian will behave. At home, Sam threatens Brian and shoves Jake, who warns Sam to never touch him or his brother again. Alan telephones from London, U.K., after getting a message from Brian, but Jake tells him everything is fine. Later, Brian pleads with Jake, arguing that they should leave their mother because she no longer cares for them. He instead decides to stay at a friend’s home. While Sam is away on “business,” Jake begs Wendy to force Sam out of the house, but she refuses. The following day, Jake receives an “F” grade on a research paper and Mr. Rader accuses him of plagiarism. Jake defends himself and returns home to avoid going to the vice principal’s office. There, he hides Sam’s stash of cocaine in the woods. When Sam returns, he suggests that he and Jake put their conflicts behind them, but when he discovers the drugs are missing, he attacks the boy. Jake admits he hid the cocaine and threatens to inform police if Sam does not leave. Sam responds that the drugs were purchased with Wendy’s $10,000, making her a co-conspirator. Jake flees on his motorcycle and Sam pursues him in his truck. In town, Jake crashes his bike and returns home on foot. Sam breaks into the house, and after he threatens to hurt Wendy, Jake agrees to show him where the drugs are. Once they retrieve the narcotics, Wendy insists Sam leave. He refuses, strikes her, and beats Jake. Brian, who has been upstairs, assaults Sam with a baseball bat, allowing Jake to break free. Sam grabs the bat, but as he raises it to strike Jake, the boy kicks him repeatedly. Jake pummels Sam into submission and Wendy orders the man to leave. Jake, Brian, and Wendy watch as Sam drives away.