On a road trip to visit his mother, Jim Riley proposes to his girlfriend, Bridget. Not believing in the concept of marriage, she says no. Fogged by the pain of her denial, he forgets to call his mother, who's eagerly waiting to celebrate when they arrive. In fact, they're welcomed by a giant banner hanging from the house, congratulating them on their now non-existent nuptials. But just when he's about to tell the truth, Jim freezes. His mom has been so depressed over the passing of his father that he doesn't think she'll be able to handle the bad news. So he lies. And from there things quickly go downhill.