Daddy’s Dyin’… Who’s Got the Will?

The four adult Turnover children descend on the family homestead to spend their father Buford Turnover's last days. Old resentments mix with care as they try to anchor their lives around a dying man who seems to see them as children. The tense reunion sets the stage for the family drama to unfold.

Eldest sister Lurlene tries to take charge and keep the peace, often acting in place of their deceased mother. She probes for a sense of control and fears being cut out of the will. Her meddling, though well-meaning, irritates her siblings and amplifies the underlying conflicts.

Sara Lee steps in to soothe quarrels and protect their father as best she can. She leans on the grandmother for support and attempts to balance competing needs within the family. Her efforts are tested as money and status tensions rise.

Orville openly verbally abuses Marlene, criticizing her weight and parenting. He is rarely seen without a beer in his hand, creating a hostile, tense mood in the house. The couple’s friction mirrors the broader fault lines among the siblings.

Evalita, the constantly-drunk younger sister, spends the night at the local bar singing and drinking. She hints at a past with Clarence, claiming they slept together, though he denies it. The scene reveals volatility in her behavior and the fragile nature of relationships at the gathering.

Harmony engages the family with a piano performance, playing 'I'll Fly Away' that draws everyone to the music. The siblings sing along and Buford watches, drawn into the memory of their mother. The moment marks a turning point as Harmony earns a wary place at the table.

As Harmony’s performance fills the room, Buford rises from his bed and perceives his children as small, mothered children again. The vision underscores his vulnerable link to the past. It also highlights how music can momentarily bridge the generations and blur reality.

Harmony admits he is falling in love with Marlene and asks her to run away with him. She refuses, but they still share a kiss in the kitchen, nearly getting caught by Orville. The moment deepens the emotional complexity of the household and unsettles the already tense dynamics.

Mama Wheelis reveals that Buford kept his will in a strong box buried in the yard, and Harmony helps pick the lock to open it. Evalita berates him for this, and Harmony ultimately leaves. The discovery ignites old tensions over inheritance and fairness.

The will is read and, despite earlier forgiveness, Lurlene and Orville each receive only $1 of the $600,000 estate, while Jimbo inherits what would have been his father's share. Sara Lee offers to share her portion with her siblings, but Evalita refuses to give up any of hers. The distribution exposes the lingering fractures among the children.

Harmony returns to tell Evalita that he has thrown her belongings out of his van, and Marlene quickly grabs a suitcase to leave with Harmony. The split signals a momentary retreat from the chaos, though the family still contends with unresolved feelings. The house loses one more source of volatile energy as Harmony departs.

Buford finally passes away, and the family gathers in the living room to honor him with a song they will sing at the funeral. Buford’s image returns, watching them as if from their childhood. The scene crystallizes the film’s emotional core and the possibility of reconciliation.

In the wake of the funeral and the earlier upheavals, the family experiences a temporary, fragile peace. The will’s dispute fades from the forefront as they reconnect, suggesting a cautious harmony may endure beyond the film’s drama. The closing image hints that the past may eventually be put to rest.