In a small town not far from New York, the Rizzos live a lie: none of them realise they all smoke, that the daughter, Vivian, has been expelled from college and works as a stripper, that Vinnie, the son, is attracted by fat women, nor that the father, Vince, a prison guard, is pretending to play poker every night while he takes drama lessons, leading his wife to believe he is cheating on her. All the deception is however brought to bright daylight when Vince's son, whom he abandoned by leaving the mother, long before he'd met his wife, is transferred to the prison where Vince works. The young man has requested parole, but can only be released to his family. And so Vince takes him under his wing and allows him to set up in the family house. Incisive dialogue unfortunately still doesn't manage to elevate this endearing comedy of manners beyond cliché situations.