A.C.O.D.

Carter is a calculating and protective figure who tries to control his family’s drama by engineering a truce between his feuding parents. He treats relationships as projects to be mastered, revealing a need to manage his past trauma. His plan escalates from manipulation to a broader reckoning with his own limits and emotions.

Trey is Carter’s younger brother, more impulsive and hopeful, who seeks stability by pushing his parents toward civility. He supports the wedding plans, reflecting a desire to preserve the family while being drawn into the drama. His actions reveal how sibling loyalties collide with his own romantic future.

Hugh is a distant, philanderer father who treats marriages as negotiations and appearances as priorities. His selfish actions propel the family’s dysfunction and fuel Carter’s drive to control outcomes. His dynamics with Melissa form the core of the parental conflict.

Melissa is sharp-witted and protective, wielding humor to shield herself from emotional pain while remaining entangled with her husband’s infidelity. She fights to maintain control over the family narrative and finances, contributing to the overall tension. Her stormy relationship with Hugh anchors the family’s unraveling.

Dr. Smith is the adult in custody of the children of divorce narrative, whose work informs the characters’ self-perceptions. Carter discovers she’s a real person behind the book, complicating his view of therapy. She becomes a catalyst for revelations and a foil to Carter’s plan.

Keiko is Trey’s girlfriend, a newer love interest who becomes part of the wedding drama. She is present as the romance thread that intersects with the parents’ old conflicts. Her role highlights how new relationships contend with family history.

Lauren is Carter’s longtime girlfriend whose relationship tests the limits of his controlling instincts. She confronts the fallout of Carter’s scheme and the impact of his family’s drama on their bond. Her presence underscores the tension between romance and family obligation.

Sondra is Hugh’s domineering third wife who adds another layer of conflict to the household. Her presence accelerates the unraveling of the family dynamic as she asserts control and navigates divorce. She marks the film’s sharp, comic edge amid the drama.