華倫史密德（傑克尼克遜飾演）突然間面臨了人生的瓶頸，一開始他從工作了一生的職場上退休，接著他唯一的女兒金妮（琥珀戴維絲飾演）要嫁給一個他不喜歡的男人，而和他結婚了42年的老婆也突然過世。

遭逢這樣人生的巨變，沒有工作、沒有老伴、沒有了家庭，華倫一時之間也失去了生活重心，於是他決定展開一段尋找自我之旅，他開著一台車屋到全國各地去找尋他心的方向，他去了兒時成長的地方，拜訪了他所唸的大學，走過他的一生。他還有一個重要的地方一定要去，那就是丹佛，他女兒結婚的地方，他希望藉由幫助他女兒準備婚禮，可以彌補他們之間的代溝。但是沒想到他卻發覺無法忍受他未來女婿和未來親家的粗鄙，他決定他的人生新目標就是要阻止女兒婚禮的完成。

在這個充滿徬徨的旅程中，華倫將他的所見所聞寫信分享給一個六歲的坦尚尼亞黑人小男孩恩度古，這個新朋友是因為他在電視上看到的一個公益廣告上認識的，他每個月捐給他22元美金來資助他。同時也因為這樣的忘年之交，讓他發現雖然相隔萬里遙遠，卻是安慰他內心最溫暖的太陽…

He is an orphan.
他是個孤兒

I am weak... and I am a failure.
我是個弱者，也是個窩囊廢

I know we're all pretty small in the big scheme of things...
先民披荊斬棘、惟有強者為王 我們在歷史的洪流中很渺小

Whatever inspires you.
你有什麼靈感都行

It really does the trick.
簡直是仙丹靈藥

Spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
心靈、感情和肉體都很速配

l'm fine. l'm just a little stiff.
我沒事 我只是睡到落枕

You're just wigging out a little...
你只是有點焦慮

l'm not negative. You're just trying to grab all the attention.
我才沒有，你只是想出風頭

I raised a sensitive, devoted boy...
他是個善解人意的小孩

Just briefly, yeah.
只見過一面

The bridesmaids... the groomsmen, the gowns.
伴娘、伴郎、伴娘禮服

I know we separated on a bit of a sour note...
我知道我跟你鬧得很不愉快

But I have good instincts about people...
不過我對人的直覺很靈敏

She's an occupational therapist.
他是職能治療師

Each one comes with its own certificate of authenticity.
每一個瓷偶都有真品證明書

I guess I never really appreciated... how exquisitely crafted they are.
我一直不知道它們有多精緻

You can read about him in the enclosed pamphlet.
你可以在簡介讀到他的事蹟

What a remarkable man.
這個人真是了不起

It's just me and my thoughts... knocking around in this big old house.
就剩下我跟我的身影獨自徘徊

But now that all the excitement is over... and the smoke has cleared...
當曲終人散、人去樓空之後

Couldn't you have splurged on her just once?
你就不能為她多花點錢嗎？

I think you should consider postponing it.
我覺得婚禮應該延期舉行

You might have to hire a maid.
你可以請一個女佣

This is not a pyramid scheme.
這不是老鼠會

There's going to be a lot of leftovers.
一定會有很多剩菜

We itemize all of our charges... and break them down into different categories.
所有費用都分成不同部份

No. Don't dillydally.
不用，別到處亂跑

Why is it that every thing she does irritates me?
她的小動作為什麼令我反感？

Because when I look in the mirror... and see the wrinkles around my eyes...
當我對著鏡子看到我的魚尾紋

I'II give you a holler. You can bet on that.
請你放一百個心

lt's been nagging at me.
這件事一直讓我耿耿於懷

What brings you by this neck of the woods?
什麼風把你吹來？

I can't take all the credit for that.
這不是我一個人的功勞

No, pity and guilt won't help.
憐憫心和罪惡感幫不了忙

We'II have a lot of good times in here.
我們將一起度過很多快樂時光

Well...sort of gives us a rough idea.
我們可以先習慣一下

None of these superficialities mean a goddamn thing.
這一切的表象全都毫無意義

Seems like some kind of conspiracy to me.
我看這好像是一項大陰謀