New York attorney Ed Stevens moves back to his small Midwestern hometown of Stuckeyville, Ohio, after losing his job and leaving his cheating wife. Once there, Ed makes an effort to recapture his past. He pursues romance with attractive teacher Carol Vessey, the most popular girl from his high school class. Ed moves in with his best friend Mike, a doctor whose multi-tasking wife Nancy is valiantly trying to balance work and parenting. On an impulse, Ed buys the local bowling alley which becomes his impromptu law office. In no time, Stuckeybowl becomes the main hub of activity in town, allowing Ed to see his hometown and its eccentric citizens with fresh eyes. While Carol is initially disinterested in Ed's advances, she begins to succumb to her persistent suitor, encouraged by her best friend and colleague Molly.