迪奇(大卫·斯佩德 David Spade 饰)曾是一名红极一时的童星,但随着时间的推移,他所主演的电视剧收视率渐渐下降,最终面临被腰斩的命运。一晃眼十几年过去,再也没有人能认得出,眼前这个三十五岁的颓废的泊车小弟,是曾经荧幕里那个古灵精怪活泼可爱的男孩。 然而,迪奇从来没有放弃过重返大银幕的梦想,他想参演一个电影,却遭到了导演的拒绝,因为由于是童星出身,所以迪奇根本没有一个正常的孩子所拥有的正常的童年,因此他无法去饰演一个正常的中年男人。为了得到这个角色,迪奇决定花钱为自己雇佣家人,来弥补自己曾经缺失的童年。Once, he was on top of the world as a popular child actor on TV. Now, he's Hollywood's punchline about everything wrong with people who were famous as children. All Dickie Roberts wants to do is find that one gig that will restore his honor and everyone's love of him, so after learning that Rob Reiner's making an ambitious new movie destined to sweep the Oscars, Dickie's first in line to audition. He walks out having learned he certainly looks the part but can't act it... yet, owing to his very unusual childhood. To research the role, Dickie embarks on a bizarre scheme to live with a suburban family to see how the average American child lives, having them put him up as their "son". But once his gloves are off, Dickie discovers how great it is to be part of a true family, and whether he gets the part or not, his attempt at method acting will certainly change his life forever.