This film intricately weaves the stories of its two protagonists—Peejoe Bullis (Lucas Black](/actor/lucas-black)) and his brother Wiley (David Speck), who are orphaned siblings under the care of their grandmother (Sandra Seacat).
Their lives take a dramatic turn when Lucille Vinson (Melanie Griffith), their aunt, commits murder by killing her husband Chester, who had been an obstacle to her Hollywood dreams of featuring in a sitcom called Bewitched with a promising two-episode role. After killing Chester and concealing his head in a Tupperware container, Lucille leaves her seven children in their grandmother's care, leaving Peejoe and Wiley without a place to stay. Consequently, they move in with Uncle Dove (David Morse) and his wife Earlene (Cathy Moriarty). Uncle Dove informs Sheriff John Doggett (Meat Loaf) that they are unaware of Lucille's whereabouts.
As Lucille journeys to Hollywood, she eerily hears Chester's head, voiced by Brent Briscoe, making sarcastic remarks to her. While at the Fleur de Lys hat shop, she initially encounters an assistant with a sharp tongue, but things take a turn when she ends up spending five hundred dollars on a couture hat to store Chester’s head. Lucille’s misfortunes continue as she steals money and a car from a rude bartender after provoking his ire.
At a roadside coffee shop, the waitress Sally (Fannie Flagg) empathizes with her and offers her a meal on the house, recognizing Lucille's plight. However, Lucille’s troubles escalate when she gets pulled over by the police and cunningly manages to handcuff the officer, leaving behind his gun at the station in a fit of desperation.
Back in Alabama, Peejoe observes the illegal voting registrations amidst a racially charged atmosphere, as he grapples with the murder of 17-year-old Taylor Jackson (Louis Miller) by the sheriff. This event shakes the town and hurls Peejoe into the spotlight, as he reluctantly becomes associated with the civil rights movement.
Despite the turmoil, Lucille finds fleeting joy and mischief in Vegas, where she revels in gambling and romance with a charming bellboy. Her arrival in Hollywood, while filled with hopes and dreams, leads her to confront difficult social dynamics, including the rude actress Joan Blake (Elizabeth Perkins) on set.
Meanwhile, back in Alabama, Earlene expresses her frustrations over Peejoe’s activism as they gather to witness Lucille's televised appearance, unwittingly weakening their familial bonds. In a twist of fate, Lucille finds herself in a precarious situation on the Golden Gate Bridge, where she loses her money while attempting to dispose of Chester’s head, leading to her ultimate discovery by police.
The narrative escalates during Lucille’s trial, where she defends herself by painting a portrait of her abusive marriage, likening Chester’s oppressive nature to that of famous cinema icons. Trouble brews as the jury struggles to empathize, culminating in a guilty verdict.
This overwhelming series of events leads to an eccentric Judge Louis Mead (Rod Steiger), who—after lengthy deliberation—issues a suspended sentence of five years’ probation instead of the electric chair, citing Lucille's non-violent nature directed mainly towards her husband.
The film concludes with Lucille reuniting with her children, leaving the courtroom to a mix of disbelief and relief. Meanwhile, the changing social landscape in Alabama manifests as the town fills in the segregated swimming pool, prompting Peejoe and Wiley to fish with a friend, pondering the new realities of their shared world, now devoid of the exclusivity they once knew.
