Jim (Casey Affleck) begrudgingly returns to his hometown in rural Indiana after failing to make it on his own in New York. Once back, living in his childhood room, he soon remembers why he left: a doting but overbearing mother (Mary Kay Place), a distant father (Seymour Cassel), and a depressed older brother (Kevin Corrigan).

Soon after his homecoming, Jim's brother gets in a mysterious car accident, and Jim is forced to take on his brother's duties -- working at his parent's factory and helping out with his two nieces. Crippled by these obligations and his own anxieties, Jim trudges on. A glimmer of hope springs from his developing relationship with a local nurse (Liv Tyler) and her young son, and Jim slowly learns how to move forward without leaving everyone behind.

Steve Buscemi's seamless direction combines with James C. Strouse's thoughtful script, and Casey Affleck and Liv Tyler's moving performances, to paint a picture of working-class characters filled with the comedy and rich details of everyday life.