Executive George Dupler (Gene Hackman) loses his temper and is demoted to the night manager at a 24 hour drugstore. After he suggests to his teenage son Freddie (Dennis Quaid) that he stop having an affair with suburban housewife Cheryl Gibbons (Barbra Streisand), who is a distant cousin, Cheryl tries to seduce George. At home, in front of his mother, Freddie accuses his dad of stealing his girl, because he found Cheryl serving George a meal in the middle of the night, while her husband Bobby was on duty at the fire station. George then separates from his wife Helen (Diane Ladd), quits his job, moves into a warehouse, and asks Cheryl to move in with him.