Robin Williams stars as Lance Clayton, a man who has learned to settle. He dreams of being a rich and famous writer, but has only managed to make it as an unpopular high school poetry teacher. His only son Kyle (Daryl Sabara) is an insufferable jackass and won't give his father the time of day. Lance is dating Claire (Alexie Gilmore), the school's adorable art teacher, but she doesn't want to get serious, or even acknowledge publicly that they are dating. Then, in the wake of a freak accident, Lance suffers the worst tragedy and the greatest opportunity of his life. He is suddenly faced with the possibility of all the fame, fortune and popularity he ever dreamed of, if he can only live with the knowledge of how he got there.