Carpool

Daniel Miller, a workaholic advertiser, is pressed into driving his sons to school after his wife Diane falls ill. He initially refuses, focused on an upcoming Hammerman's campaign. Diane guilt-trips him, and he agrees to take the kids anyway.

Joining Daniel are his sons Bucky and Andrew, plus Kayla, Chelsea, and the quirky Travis. The group mutters and bickers as they cram into the car, turning a routine drive into a charged, sitcom-like journey. The unexpected passengers set the stage for the day’s chaotic turn.

Franklin Laszlo, owner of the failing Laszlo Brothers Carnival, reluctantly decides to commit armed robbery to keep his business afloat. He fixes his eye on the Hammerman's market as the target for a cash-filled score. The plan begins to pull him toward a collision with Daniel and the rest.

Inside Hammerman's, gunmen Neil and Jerry begin the hold-up while Franklin, an old woman, and Lt. Erdman confront the chaos. Through a tangle of misunderstandings, Franklin ends up kidnapping Daniel and the children. The market's routine sale spirals into a hostage situation.

Franklin escapes with the money and imprisons Daniel and the kids in his van. The group becomes unwilling hostages as they race to avoid the police and capture a new sense of purpose. The journey shifts from a simple robbery to a desperate effort to survive.

During the escape, the group makes a stop at a hair salon so Andrew can use the restroom, and they improvise disguises to throw off pursuers. The disguises bring moments of levity, but the danger remains ever-present. The chase continues as they navigate the city streets.

Meanwhile, Martha the obsessive meter maid begins to pursue them with relentless zeal. The pursuit adds comic chaos and sharp tension to the caravan’s already dangerous flight. The group uses every ruse to stay ahead of law enforcement.

Franklin confesses that he robbed to keep his carnival open and to buy a birthday present for his son Keith. The revelation gives the group a begrudging, uneasy understanding of each other. The shared humanity shifts the dynamics of their unlikely alliance.

The caravan arrives at the Laszlo Carnival, and the kids finally get to experience the rides. The atmosphere shifts from danger to a fragile sense of camaraderie as Daniel reassesses his own ambitions. The morning’s chaos gives way to a glimmer of hope for a non-traditional resolution.

Neil and Jerry arrive and track Franklin by the wallet he dropped in Hammerman's, demanding the cash. A fight erupts around the rides, and the Ferris wheel’s controls are damaged in the struggle. The danger rises as the group fights to keep everyone safe.

Daniel uses his presentation materials to jam the Ferris wheel’s mechanism and climbs up to rescue Andrew. The moment validates his resourcefulness and protects his son from harm. It marks a turning point in their unlikely bond.

Franklin ties up Neil and Jerry, locks them in the Zipper ride, and retrieves his wallet. The immediate threat is contained and the group begins to imagine a future beyond the escape. The bond among the hostages and their captor deepens.

Daniel arrives hours late to his pitch meeting and is unprepared. He speaks from experience and argues for a kinder, more playful approach, convincing Mr. Hammerman to rethink the brand. Inspired by the moment, Daniel quits the Hammerman campaign.

Lt. Erdman and the police arrive to arrest Franklin, but Daniel explains the personal stakes and refuses to press charges. The officers release Franklin, recognizing the changed dynamic. In a symbolic turn, Daniel and Franklin become co-owners of the carnival, with Mr. Hammerman supplying the food.

Sometime later, the carnival thrives under the new leadership. Yet Franklin misses a lunch date with his mother, who is seen destroying a local Sizzler over the closing credits. The film ends on a note of ambition, reconciliation, and a touch of absurd humor.